Rock On!

It's workout Wednesday and once again, I'm featuring another fun (and AFFORDABLE!) program that you'll LOVE! Last week, I featured Shaun T's Hip Hop Abs program. This week, I'm talking about his other program which is Rockin' Body! It's a lot like Hip Hop Abs in that it's fun, easy to follow, and will help you get the results you want! It is also only $19.95!! You can also buy the next set of DVDs for an additional $19.95. I have them all and I LOVED it! "Shaun T's Dance Party" was my favorite workout of the bunch! Watch the video below to see what the program is all about!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Let me know if you have any questions about this (or any other) Team Beachbody workout program! I'm here to help you find the one that's right for you! Be infused! God bless you!

You Live What You Believe

For yesterday's media Monday, I featured Dr. Phil's book: The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. In it, he mentions 7 essential keys to weight loss success that I'll be featuring in these Tuesday blogs for a while.

The first key is "right thinking." I think most of us know that positive thinking is always better than negative thinking, but I don't think most of us realize just how much power our thoughts can have over us. The truth is, you live what you believe! If you are thinking negative, condemning, and defeating thoughts, that is what you are going to believe about yourself and the manner in which you'll behave in. It's important to learn and be aware of what you're thinking and to CHALLENGE the negative thoughts that have no place in your mind. Click here to view the types of "faulty thinking" that you might be prone to. Then, resolve to challenge those thoughts. Become aware of what you're thinking and evaluate it to see whether it's true/false and whether it helps or hurts you. Journal your thoughts and find out what's really going on inside your head!

Whenever I think about the difference between wrong and right thinking, I remember a book that I read in high school that dramatically impacted my life and changed my perspective for the better! It's a book by Joyce Meyer called: Battlefield of the Mind. She talks about how important it is to "think about what you're thinking about" because there are so many times that we fall into negative thinking patterns that go on auto-pilot and we don't even realize it anymore. I think she even mentioned putting each thought into a sort of "time-out chair"; putting it on trial and evaluating it. She cites the verse from 2 Corinthians 10:5 which says: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every though to make it obedient to Christ."

Take your thoughts captive! Hold them hostage and hold them up to the knowledge of the Word of God to see if it lines up! If it doesn't, reject them and then replace them with the kind of thoughts that DO line up! Think on good things (Philippians 4:4-9) and renew your mind (Romans 12:2). If you don't, you'll stay stuck in the same destructive thinking patterns and you won't be able to accomplish anything positive. Take the Israelites in the wilderness, for example. Joyce points out how they endlessly kept going round and round the mountain instead of entering the promised land because of the rotten mindset they had. Their negativity kept them in bondage and their generation didn't even get to enter the promised land! How tragic (and unnecessary!). Why do we needlessly punish and deprive ourselves of success?! Thankfully, we don't have to! We CAN choose to think differently and transform our minds (and our lives!).

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Remember, take your thoughts captive and challenge them! Reject the sabotaging thoughts that may be plaguing your mind so that you can not only reach your weight loss goals, but ANY goal that you are aspiring to reach! Think on good things; things that line up with the Word of God! Watch your life change! Be infused! God bless you!

Do You Hold the Keys to Weight Loss?

When it comes to weight-loss, there are lots of programs and things out there that claim they will do the trick. There are all sorts of workouts, nutrition drinks, supplements and diet pills, support groups, etc. How are you supposed to figure out what works and what's right for you?

Aside from reading reviews, seeing others' personal success stories, and through your own trial and error, there is a way to simplify the process a little bit. Something that really helped me put all the elements together for success was Dr. Phil's book: The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. In his book, he names 7 crucial keys that you need in order to overcome your battle with weight-loss (which you can read more about here). Obviously, the things that he's talking about aren't new ideas. However, they're all talked about and compiled together because weight-loss is more than just fitness and nutrition. It's about dealing with your thoughts, feelings, impulses, environment, and having the support you need. It's not just about the body, it's about your mind and heart too. His book puts the whole picture into perspective.

Over the next few weeks, I will be talking about each "key" in my Tuesday blogs. I am really looking forward to blogging each one because they have all been so helpful to me over the years as I've kept them in mind! I really encourage you to read the book for yourself! It's worth it!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! I hope that you will check out Dr. Phil's book! At the very least, I hope that you will keep reading this blog so I can keep sharing things with you to help you along the way! Be infused! God bless you!!

Strength & Rest

It's always stunning when you read or hear something that precisely fits with what is going on in your life right at the moment. Last week, I was reading in Brian Welch's devotional book: Stronger: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality. I was reading day 22 and amazingly, he happened to mention Philippians 4:13! :) Here is some of what he said:

"The key to our new lives with Christ is learning. Learning to trust God always. Instead of getting scared when our negative circumstances wrap themselves around our lives, we can learn from everything that comes our way....If you're going through negative things in life right now, arise and shine with the light of understanding that God is stronger than your circumstances. One of the best lessons that I've learned is to rest in love with Jesus, because He will miraculously turn everything around for you when it's time."

I couldn't agree more! Over the past three years in particular, a lot of things have happened in my life that I couldn't wrap my brain around. So many people encouraged me to just trust in the Lord and that things would "get better" and that all things work out for good (Romans 8:28). As much as I knew that, it was hard to let it sink in. I believed it, but my faith was so weak. No matter what I knew or learned, I still couldn't "rest". In fact, learning to relax and rest in His love has always been a hard thing for me. Maybe it is for a lot of people because I know we all worry, attempt to fix and control things, and don't know how to let go and surrender.

Admittedly, I still don't have the "rest" thing figured out, but I'm continuing to learn how to let go more and more. I find that as I put forth more effort to pray and bring everything to God, I am finding more peace and rest no matter what is going on or what I've been through.

God can and will turn things around for you! It may not look or feel that way (and we are often impatient in waiting) but when things finally unfold and reveal themselves, you'll say "Oh, wow! I get it! Look what God has done!" That is exactly what I'm saying right now as I watch so many amazing things happen in my life that I could have never predicted! I am humbled, awed, thankful, and blessed!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Continue to allow God to infuse you with His strength and learn to not only be empowered by it, but to rest in it as well! Be infused! God bless you!!

You Can't Afford NOT to!

"I can't afford that" is the statement I get most often when people consider purchasing Shakeology. To most, $4.00 a shake ($3.00 a shake when you become a coach) seems like a lot. However, if you REALLY crunch the numbers, it is MORE than affordable!

I remember when I first tried Shakeology. I really loved it and wanted to get more because it did so much for me (and still does). Though, cost has sometimes been a factor for me as well. So, I tried to reason that I could still get everything that was in Shakeology if I just ate enough fruits and veggies, bought some vitamins, etc. However, what you don't realize is that to get the same benefits in Shakeology, you would pay SO MUCH MORE! Watch the video below to see a humorous and informative take on just what's in Shakeology and what you would need to buy in order to get everything you get in a one month's supply!

I hope you will consider Shakeology and all it can do for your health! In the big picture of things, you are spending a lot less than what you think (less doctor visits, less junk food bought when your cravings decrease, less food consumed in general, etc.). $4.00 on a healthy shake is $4.00 you're NOT spending at McDonald's, the vending machine at work, or some other meal that will never give you what Shakeology can! Think about it and crunch the numbers for yourself based on where your food budget is currently going! You'll probably be surprised and realize that you CAN afford Shakeology (and that you'll actually be saving money!). When it comes to better health, you can't afford NOT to have Shakeology! Go ahead! Try it! Send back an empty bag if you don't like it and get a refund (less s&h). You're pretty much trying it for FREE, so why not?!!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Be infused! God bless you!!

Low-Fat/High Protein Chicken Marsala!

It's amazing what you can find (even when you're not looking for it!). I came across this recipe for Chicken Marsala the other day and I knew I had to share it! I haven't made it (yet) but I hope to try it out! It looks delicious and has really good reviews! It's low-fat and high protein!! Always a good choice! Your body needs protein to build up your muscles; and muscle burns fat!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Have a wonderful weekend! Be infused! God bless you!! :)

"Why Can't I Lose Weight?"

The biggest question I think most people have when they feel they are trying their hardest to lose their excess weight (and are not seeing the loss on the scale) is: "WHY?!" Well, there could be a lot of reasons, why. Click on this link to see a short video where Team Beachbody trainer, Shaun T, answers that very question! Additionally, here's a list of 10 bad habits that could be hindering your weight-loss as well.

I know I have often asked myself the same question. Sometimes, the answer is simple and other times, it isn't. It's easy to figure out the whys if you know you ate too many (or too few) calories, had a few binges here and there, or didn't give your all in your workouts (or didn't workout much at all). However, when you are meeting your calorie goals, working your hardest, and seemingly doing everything "right", it's so hard to accept a number on the scale that hasn't gone down!

Don't be frustrated! Be patient with yourself! Keep doing your best and you WILL see the payoff! If you give up, you'll never see the rewards! It's important to remember that everyone's body is different and sometimes (especially when you're starting a new workout) your muscles can retain fluids as you're body is changing. So, you might even see GAINS from time to time. When you do, remember that it's likely muscle. Pay attention to your tape measure (and how your clothes fit) because that will reassure you when your scale can't! That's definitely been a big help to me because that's where I'm seeing it the most right now as I'm doing Focus T25! I did see a five pound loss the second week, but not so much since then. The TAPE MEASURE, however, is showing a LOT of differences and my clothes fit better! Praise God, I'll take it!! :)

Grace and peace to you, my friends!! Keep persevering no matter what! Don't be discouraged! Everyone has plateaus and stagnant times, but the breakthroughs DO come!! Be infused! God bless you!!

Hip Hop Abs: Fun, Effective, and Affordable!

There are lots of factors that can cause a person to not want to workout. I think one of the biggest deterrents is that we think working out is difficult and boring. That doesn't have to be the case at all! That's exactly why the Team Beachbody programs are designed to be fun, easy to follow, and incredibly effective!

Hip Hop Abs is definitely a fun and effective program! In fact, it is one of my personal favorites! I really enjoyed it because Shaun T knows how to create a program that you not only like doing, but that gets you results too!  

Intrigued? Well, how about this?! For a limited time, Hip Hops Abs has also eliminated another obstacle: cost. The basic DVD package is only $19.95. What?!! Yep, you read that right! I think that's pretty affordable! Also, if you want to make sure you have the next level of Hip Hop Abs once you finish the first, you can opt for the deluxe package deal (which includes stage 1 & 2 DVDs) for $39.90. Both are great options, but I recommend opting for the deluxe so you have all you need. Though, if you start out with the basic one first, you can always get the stage 2 DVDs later when you're ready (currently $19.95 as well). However, I wouldn't wait too long because it's hard telling when Team Beachbody is going to stop offering it at this price!!

Grace and peace to you, my friends!! Please, check out the links in this post for all the details on the program and to place your order! You'll need a FREE Team Beachbody account so if you aren't already set up through me, please do the quick sign-up by clicking on this link (just click on "not a member?" at the top of my profile page). Don't forget to check out the video below for a preview of what's to come! I look forward to coaching you! Be infused!! God bless you!! 

Your Most Vital Success Tool!

When it comes to fitness and nutrition, there may be all sorts of tools that you may need. You definitely need exercise shoes, clothing, and a water bottle for hydration. You may even need a mat, weights, resistance bands, balance ball, heart rate monitor, etc. When it comes to food, a scale can be very helpful in helping to measure portions and a journal, computer, or phone app can help you track calories. Then, of course, there's the scale you use to weigh yourself. What else could you be missing that is often overlooked? Prayer! Yes, that's right, prayer!

Some people reading this may underestimate the value of prayer (even if they are a believer). How would prayer make a difference anyways? All it takes is will-power and self-discipline, right? Well, as most people know, those are two very difficult things to come by at times. It's difficult having everything on your shoulders and trying to do it all alone in your own strength. Support (people who encourage you and keep you accountable) is crucial but you don't always have someone by your side 24/7; and sometimes, your own self can fail you as well. However, the Holy Spirit is always with you even when no one else is! He is ALWAYS around 24/7 because He dwells within your heart and is there to guide you in making the right choices for yourself. He will always encourage and fuel you to do your best. The key is tapping into the power by being continuous in prayer. If you don't feel like working out that day, ask Him to give you the strength. If you're faced with some food temptations, ask Him to help you make the best choice and to say "no" to the things that aren't good for your body. If you allow Him to work in you and change your heart and mind, you will succeed (and feel pretty good about it!). Then, giving all glory back to Him, you will continue to improve and build up those spiritual muscles! ;)

I'm here to tell you from experience that you will have MUCH MORE success if you allow GOD to be your ultimate coach in every area of your life! I have experienced it not only in my weight-loss battle, but in my personal life battles as well. When I look back and pinpoint the times where I was most successful, it was the times where I was dependent on God and not myself. If you don't want to fail, trust in that which is UNfailing: the power of the Holy Spirit! I may be a Team Beachbody coach, but God is the ultimate motivator and coach! He can (and will!) do WAY more for you than I can!

It is my honor to serve and be a part of this team; not just Team Beachbody and Infusion 413, but the team that is this body of Christ! We are all here to work together for the glory of God! Through Him, we can accomplish ANYTHING! 

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Include God in your fitness/nutrition goals and watch your success (as well as your positive attitude) grow by leaps and bounds! Ask God to not only bless your food before you eat, but to help you eat things that are good for you. Also, pray for protection from injury (when you get ready to work out) as well as the strength and endurance to persevere. He will give you the strength you need!! Be infused!! God bless you!!

Good Mornings, Afternoons, and Evenings

It's officially been a week since starting this fitness blog; and it's been GREAT to be blogging again! Though, I can't begin to count the number of times I have wondered "what if I run out of things to blog?" However, if anyone knows me, I seldom run out of things to say! ;) Having a category for each day (and writing down ideas for what to blog in the future) has been assuring me that it probably won't be a problem.

Today's "Media Monday" is a Mandisa song again. This wasn't even intentional! Just like last week, I heard the song for the first time on the radio and the timing was perfect! Both times, it came in a moment where I was feeling a little down. Needless to say, the powerful lyrics (and the passion in which she sings them) lifted me right up! I hope it does the same for you! 

This song is called "Good Morning." If you know anything about me, you KNOW that I am not a morning person. ;) Therefore, hearing this song was a tremendous encouragement and a reminder to me that I can look at mornings in a fresh and upbeat way. I'm thinking I will probably set it as the ringtone on my phone for my alarm. ;) It's definitely a song you would love in your iPod for a morning walk!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Have a great week; with lots of good mornings, afternoons, and evenings! Be infused!! God bless you! :)

Fueled with Thankfulness

Today winds up my first week of this new fitness blog. I feel very accomplished (as well as hopeful) that it will be reaching and helping others in various ways! It's my hope that people will read and engage with me (and others) on this blog and find the encouragement and motivation they need for not only their fitness goals, but their entire well-being. That's why on Sundays, I'll post blogs of a more personal and spiritual nature (sort of like my original blog). No matter what you're doing to help your body physically, it's important that you work from the inside out and make sure that your mind and heart are fueling the changes you're embarking on.

I've reflected a lot this week about everything that is going on in my life. I wouldn't know where to begin if I tried to explain and dissect it all, but let's just say that reminding myself of the core verse that is the theme of this blog (and my Team Beachbody team as a whole) is what carries me. I keep focusing my mind on being empowered and infused with the strength of God so that I can make it through whatever I have to deal with every day. Careful thought and prayer is what works out the matters of the mind and heart. Paul said in Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV): 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I have thought about these verses a lot this week. Breaking it down, bit by bit, we can get a picture of what our general attitude should be like and how we should handle and view everything in our life. Paul says to ALWAYS rejoice in the Lord. It's not just a statement, it's a command (and he reiterates it a second time). With that kind of emphasis, we should gather that it's pretty important to have an attitude of praise and thankfulness. He says our gentleness should be evident and that the Lord is near. God will empower us as we praise Him and when we converse with the Lord in prayer, we are to have that attitude of thanksgiving. We are far less prone to being worried and anxious when we are focused on the many blessings that we should be thanking our Father for! I seen a saying once that said: "Always thank God for what you have before you ask him for more." How true is that?!

Secondly, Paul says that when we behave in a way that's positive and thankful, we will receive peace from God; peace that surpasses anything one could understand or explain. It calms and protects our hearts and minds against anything that could negatively effect us. It's all because that positive and thankful heart brings about that wall of peace that prevents us from being shaken by anything the world can throw at us. 

Paul finishes his train of thought by instructing us on what to fuel our minds with to ensure that we keep our positive attitudes intact. It's all about input and output. No matter what form you're talking about, everything has a cause and effect process. Just like you have to think about what foods you're fueling your body with, one needs to think about what they're fueling their mind and spirit with. Everyone knows that if you feed your body junk, that's what your resulting output is going to be. You feel only as good as what you're fueled with. The quality you put INTO yourself is equal to the quality you'll be able to GIVE of yourself when you expend it. That's why Paul tells us to think of good things; things that are pure, lovely, honorable, and praiseworthy. The things we watch, the music we listen to, the things we do, the people we hang out with, etc. are all going to effect our behavior. Therefore, we should really try hard to surround ourselves with the things that glorify and honor God so that we are more apt to honor God as well. Yes, in the world that we live in today, it is becoming more and more difficult. It definitely is a struggle to accomplish this when we are surrounded by so much media bombardment, negative people, and things of that nature. It's impossible to escape it completely, but when we do find those good things, we need to focus on them the most so that we aren't overcome by the negatives. Then, we can be the kind of example that Paul was; and people will see and imitate our examples too. 

I hope that you are encouraged by what God has put in my heart. Focusing on prayer, positive things, and leaning on like-minded people is what helped me this week! More and more, I am reminded of how much more dependent I need to be on God and HIS strength and not my own. I am grateful for all the Lord does for me as well as the good friends and family who have been there to listen, empathize, advise, and pray for me. A BIG thank you to three friends in particular: Sarah, Steve, and Joel. You helped me make it through this week and I couldn't be more grateful for your support! I love you! Thank you also to Whitley and Racheal for the fellowship I had with you yesterday! Both of you make me smile and I love you too!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Feed your body, mind, and spirit with good things!! Stay positive and thankful!! Be infused! God bless you!! 

My Shakeology Story

Over the years, I have tried a lot of different nutrition and weight-loss products. I'm sure many of you have done the same. You see an infomercial or some kind of ad that pushes some "miracle" product. You hear all this hype about a new diet pill, fitness drink, powder, etc. and you decide to try it. Though, if you're like me, you don't stick with the product for long for one reason or another. A lot of times, it's because it doesn't do what it promises or it loses its effectiveness. Other times, we just get tired of it and can't stick with it for various reasons; like if it doesn't taste good.

All of these reasons are why I didn't feel like trying Shakeology when I first heard about it three years ago. My own Team Beachbody coach, Dana, sent me a sample. She kept telling me how great it was and asked if I had tried it yet. I kept putting it off and told her I would get around to it eventually and let her know. All the while, it was sitting on top of my refrigerator and I didn't give it much thought. I found it hard to believe that a fitness drink could be as awesome as she, or the company, was promising. I was also convinced that it would probably taste chalky and that I would have to choke it down. Yet, I knew I would have to get it over with at some point so my coach would quit bugging me about it. Plus, it's the least I could do since she took the time to send me a sample. So, I got out a glass and poured some milk and the chocolate Shakeology into it (this is how little I cared). I mixed it by hand with a spoon and braced myself for what was to come next. To my great shock, it tasted really good! Even without using a blender, it had dissolved well and it wasn't gritty or chalky. I remember thinking it tasted like brownie batter. Needless to say, I finished it in no time and wished I had tried it sooner! I told Dana that I liked it and definitely wanted to get more! 

I remember that during my first month of drinking Shakeology, I lost 8 pounds or more. That was a big deal to me! Even better than that was the fact that this drink was doing what it promised (and then some!). Not only was I getting impeccable taste and nutrition, but it was living up to its hype! My craving for sweets was drastically minimized and virtually eliminated. I didn't yearn for junk food and sugars (and started getting more repulsed by them). I also became more "regular" and felt less and less sluggish and had more energy. Another pleasant surprise was that for some reason, my allergies bothered me less and less and my skin looked better too! 

Over the past three years, I have been off and on of Shakeology (depending on what I could afford at the time). Ideally, I like to stay on it because I notice a big difference when I'm not taking it. I have also observed that I don't get sick very often either; or if I do, it's very minor and short lived. It truly is something that I would rather not live without! It has helped me in so many ways! It's MORE than worth the $4.00 a day! After all, Ben Franklin said that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." If you don't like doctors and hospitals, this will definitely aid you in staying away from them. ;) 

So, what's your Shakeology story? How has it worked for you? Haven't tried it yet? What are you waiting for?! It's GUARANTEED!! If you don't like it, send it back (even if the bag is EMPTY!) and you'll get your money back (less s&h). No hassle! The customer service is GREAT (and you're not calling some foreign country haggling with someone you can't understand!). Go ahead, try it and be amazed at what it does for you! 

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Thank you for reading my story. Watch the short video below and hear a few more as well as more information about Shakeology! Then, click on my link to buy your own! Be infused! God bless you! :)

Smooth Move!

It's food Friday!! Yum!! But, wait a minute, "healthy" food isn't supposed to taste good! Right? WRONG!! :) You can STILL enjoy food AND get the nutrients that you need at the same time! Seriously! You can usually find lower-calorie/healthier versions of almost any entree that you love! Healthy food is just as tasty!

How's this for a smooth move towards health?! Click here to view a collection of smoothie recipes that are are good and good for you! :) Also, don't forget, if you want the grand-daddy of all shakes and smoothies, it doesn't get any better than Shakeology (and you can always add extra fruit to it for even more taste and nutrition!). You can find recipes for Shakeology on Team Beachbody, or you can create your own! More than likely, I will also post some from time to time as well!

Grace and peace to you, my friends!! Good food and better health is at your fingertips (don't you just love the information age?!). Search Google, recipe sites, and even Pinterest for great meal ideas! Also, if you have any good recipes to share, feel free to comment! I would love to share some of your food concoctions on my blog! :) Team participation! Don't be shy! Be infused!! God bless you!

So, What is a Team Beachbody Coach?

Thursdays on this blog are going to be "Q & A Thursdays" where I'll blog some answers to frequently asked questions about Team Beachbody, nutrition, health, and fitness. Feel free to submit questions and comments! They call it TEAM Beachbody for a reason! As your coach, I want to engage with my team; not only to offer my support, but to receive support and feedback as well. We are all in this TOGETHER! Don't be shy!! Join in!! :) Hearing from you is just as encouraging and motivating to me as I hope to be to you in this coaching endeavor! When it comes down to it, we aren't just team players together, but cheerleaders (no pom poms or short skirts required lol).

One of the big questions one gets when they're a Team Beachbody coach is about coaching itself. They want to know how you become a coach, what all it entails, and what kind of money you can earn. As with any business, "it is what you put into it." ANYONE can do it! Don't think you have to be a professional fitness trainer or in perfect shape to coach someone! All it takes is a good attitude, a commitment to see yourself and other succeed in their goals, and to do whatever you can to build upon that. There are lots of coaches that went from newbies to diamond coaches in a short amount of time because they made a conscious effort to talk people, promote their business (including, but not limited to, social media), and be a good example of what they're selling. Then, there are those that sign up, do a minimal amount of work, stick around just for the 25% discount, and not much else (and maybe end up quitting altogether). For me, I've been a mixture of the two. I started out with some good momentum when I first signed up over three years ago, but a lot of life changes put coaching on the back burner for a while. I even thought about abandoning coaching completely, but I stuck with it knowing that I would one day be able to reignite what I started. I'm glad I didn't give up! Now that things are more stabilized in my life, I have more time to devote to working my business and helping myself and others (creating this fitness blog is one of those things I've had on my business "to do" list ever since I started!).

I mentioned, in my blog about modifications, that I tend to have an "all or nothing" approach to things. Sometimes, I think we can all get that way and that's why we shy away from commitment of different kinds because we feel that just because we can't do everything all at once, or have overnight success, we'd rather not try. It can also be the fear of failure as well. There's no need to jump ahead of yourself; especially if you're just starting out. Build gradually and add new elements to the business little by little. Look how long it's taken me to do this blog lol! Just start by posting your coach links to your social media pages and making posts/tweets to your friends. Share your personal success and talk about the products as you use them, take pictures, etc. Then, you can eventually add other things as you get more experienced and as time allows. Don't put too much pressure on yourself! ;)

Below, you will find a short video about being a Team Beachbody coach! Even if you aren't thinking about coaching right now, take a look anyways! I never dreamed that I would be doing something like this, but learning about various opportunities in life can often surprise you! It might spark a new passion inside you or motivate you in a way that you never expected; even if it's just in your personal every day life.

Grace and peace to you, my friends!! Thank you for reading, and don't be shy about contacting me or leaving comments here on this blog! Please, watch the video with an open mind! ;) Also, if you tried to be a coach before, and you regret giving up on it, you can always try again! You can do it! Be infused!! God bless you! :)

Do You Have Just 25 Minutes?

It's Workout Wednesday! That means, it's time to put the spotlight on a fitness program!

The first one that I would like to mention is the one that I'm doing right now: Focus T25. This is a brand new program that just recently came out and everyone I know that's doing it (including myself) is LOVING IT!

Focus T25 was created by Shaun T; the same amazing trainer that created Hip Hop Abs, Rockin' Body, and Insanity. He packed an intense 60 minutes worth of work into only 25 minutes a day, five days a week!! Yeah, seriously!! I can personally vouch for the fact that it's intense, but short! Just 25 minutes and you're DONE for the day! I'm already feeling stronger and building up endurance. I'm looking leaner, my clothes are fitting better, and I have lost weight AND inches!! I'd say it's worth it (and I'm not even half way through the program yet!). Focus T25 and Shakeology is giving me results like I have never had before (even with following some of the modifications)!! I can only imagine what my "after" photos are going to look like...even more so if I more than likely get the Gamma DVDs to extend the program!!

Check out this video to see a little more about Focus T25! Then, check out the links in this post to view the programs, sign up for a FREE Team Beachbody account, and to order the products and get started!!

Grace and peace to you, my friends!! Be infused!! God bless you!!

Don't Be Shy! Modify!!

When thinking about the "tip" that I wanted to talk about for the first "tips and tools" Tuesday, I already had something at the forefront of my mind. It may not seem like a big deal, but if you really thing about it, it is! Maybe it's because I tend to be an "all or nothing" black/white type of person, so this is something I have to remind myself of often. That thing is "modification." 

Modification can be an uncomfortable concept because modifying means you're changing something. Change isn't always something that most enjoy, but with the right mindset, it can be a great thing! For me, however, I don't always like that word when it comes to my workouts or my nutrition. Doing different workout moves, adjusting recipes, or anything that isn't "exactly" like what the program says or what someone else is doing tends to bother me! I can't begin to tell you how many times I used to get frustrated with a workout because I couldn't do it like the people in the video. Sometimes, it was because I hadn't learned the moves yet. Other times, it was because I hadn't built up the endurance to keep up or I physically couldn't/shouldn't do what they were doing. In my mind, I had to do everything "right" or I didn't want to do it at all! I figured that messing up or doing it a different way would be a wasted effort and I wouldn't be able to get the results I wanted. This isn't true! 

I have learned over the years that, like one of my teachers used to say, "you've got to adjust and adapt." Everyone is an individual, so modification is NECESSARY to personalize things for yourself! It took me a long time to discover what works for me because everyone tells you what machine you should buy or what workout program to do or what foods to eat. All of these are helpful things that should be taken into consideration, but then adjusted to fit your needs so that you can adapt accordingly. I had to find out the hard way that machines and gadgets are NOT my style. I had an ab rocker, ab roller, elliptical, gazelle, and all sorts of stuff like that before I realized that I am not an equipment person. I get bored and annoyed; working out becomes a chore! Then, I would eventually give up! However, once I figured out that I really liked Team Beachbody DVD workout programs, I had a LOT more success! Great trainers, who create motivating and structured routines that keep you moving along, are what keep me from dreading and avoiding working out! 

Never feel bad if a workout program isn't for you, or if you HAVE to modify some moves. Tailor everything to your needs and what your body can do. Try your hardest and push yourself to do more, but don't go beyond what you KNOW you should. For me, that's keeping an eye on my back, neck, and feet. If there are "jumping" moves, I do the modifications. Sometimes, it still nags at me in the back of my mind and I get upset that I can't do what they're doing. But, I remind myself that my best IS good enough and that as long as I'm giving my all with what I've got (and keeping my heart rate up, which is the main idea) I'm going to do well! Even now, I'm doing Focus T25 and I have to modify a lot of the moves, but I'm having GREAT success anyways because I'm making everything count that I CAN do!

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Be encouraged! :) Whatever you're trying to accomplish, you CAN do it! Do your best and allow God to keep infusing you with the strength to make it through it! Contact me for help in choosing what program will be best for YOU and your needs! God bless you!

Infused to Overcome Anything!

Getting started. That's usually the hardest part of any process. Taking the first step is usually a mixture of emotions. There's excitement as well as fear. You wonder what you're getting into; you wonder about the unknowns and about what you'll face on the journey as you make your way to the end goal. It can be very intimidating! 

That's how I felt back in 2007 when I told the Lord that I wanted to be serious about losing weight and getting healthy. I don't think I remember a time where I actually felt that I was at a normal weight (though, what woman does?!). All I remember is that by 2007, I was WAY OVER what I should be and I wanted to give it to God. When I did, I lost over 40 pounds! 

Now, here I am again. I still have never reached my initial goal of 150 pounds (even though I've come close). I have been up and down over the years in various weight ranges due to loss of focus and discipline (and excuses). However, I'm not giving up and I know I WILL get there! He's always there to help me and I succeed when I rely on Him!

In 2010, I became an Independent Team Beachbody Coach because the workout programs and Shakeology had really helped me and I wanted to help others too. I am SO GLAD I decided to become a coach because not only am I helping others, I am helping myself too. There's more accountability for yourself when you commit to helping others be accountable too. Additionally, there are the perks of getting a coach discount on the products and earning extra income as I get fit! There really is no downside (and ANYONE can do it...no matter your fitness level!). 

That's what brings me to this new blog. I have a regular blog, but I also wanted to start a blog that was specific to health and fitness. My goal is to share a little something every day to motivate, inspire, as well as promote the kind of products that will help people reach their goals! 

Today, it's "Media Monday" where I will post some kind of media; whether it's a heart pumping workout song, a video of some sort, or article of some kind. For the opening entry of this new blog, I feel the perfect thing to share is this song from Mandisa called "Overcomer". I actually heard it for the first time just last night (and in a moment where I had been personally feeling down). It was such an encouragement to me, and I hope it is for you too! It reminded me that no matter what, God gives us what we need to get through anything! It also brought me back to the verse that has always been the inspiration for my journey (and the meaning behind the name of this blog/business). Philippians 4:13 says we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us. In the Amplified version of the Bible, it uses the words "empower" and "infuse". For me, that's a powerful encouragement and thinking about being filled and infused with the strength of the Almighty God is just mind-blowing to me! Of COURSE I can do anything if I have the strength of God Himself inside of me!! Think about it!! 

Grace and peace to you, my friends! Thank you for reading this blog! If you're already on my team, GREAT! If not, please sign up for a FREE account so I can be your coach and help you reach your goals! Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have and/or leave your comments! Be infused!! God bless you!