The Woes of a Cross-Country Move

Do you know what happens when you are moving your whole family clear across the country? Well, I can tell you what DOESN'T happen: working out and eating clean!

We are finally packed up and the move is here. We're in our new home, and by "in" I mean the truck is here full of our stuff and the house is empty, needing a deep clean, and not quite ready to go. I've been sleeping on a couch for almost a week, Robby is a cranky mess (because try explaining to a 6 month old why his world is completely upside down...the boy just doesn't get it), and needless to say, I haven't even made a to-do list because the thought is overwhelming.

One to-do that I'm really excited about, though, is getting back to my healthy, fit self. I've slipped. Maybe slipped isn't even the right term. I went head first down a steep mountain filled with boulders. Between packing, finishing up at work, not having any sort of normalcy, and days of eating out as fast as possible, I'm a mess!

What's a girl to do? Go EXTREME! Yes, tomorrow I'm starting the 21 Day Fix Extreme--all of it--from the meal plan to the workouts to the Shakeology. Of course, that means I have to find it in the boxes today, but I digress. I will be finished just in time to meet up with my friends and fellow coaches at Beachbody's Summit in Nashville, plus it's the perfect way to kick off my delayed training for the Disneyland races in September.

There's no more excuses! I can't keep putting this off--it's not good for my health, which is not good for my family. SO...here goes nothing!

I'll be doing some blogging here about the next 21 days, but be sure to follow me on Facebook for daily updates :) Using the social media thing to keep me accountable!!!

Progress Post: 5/3/16

Well...what a difference a week makes, right? I'm surprised I haven't published this sooner because I've had the most encouraging week so-far! Yep, that's right! I finally got out of my own way and, like Nike, just did it!

If you've been following along, I've had a really tough time getting into a healthy routine after having Robby. The weight is NOT falling off like everyone expected, and exercising has taken a backseat to being the tummy time entertainer. I have no regrets, though. Robby's health and happiness are my top priority, but I do truly believe that for me to be a great mom I need to take care of myself too.

Got my workout streaming and baby monitor buzzing!

I'm happy to report that this past week I got in a groove! I've been loyal to the 21 Day Fix meal plan. I got over myself and my "I only like to workout in the morning" attitude. I sucked it up and completed the first week of Focus T25, working out every night when Robby went to bed. I know, I know, I'm going all "I love Beachbody" on you all, but seriously, I do! I've come to the conclusion that until Robby is old enough to run with (6-8 months old), I've got to workout at home. I just don't have a choice right now.

What were the results? I broke through a weight loss plateau that's been haunting me. I proudly modified moves to accommodate for my knee still bothering me. Most importantly, I taught my class on Thursday night virtually pain FREE!!!

One week down, a lifetime to go. I know that this is just a small start. My biggest upcoming challenge is going to be keeping the momentum as I receive injection treatments on my knee. For the next 3 weeks, I can't workout Wednesday or Thursday, and I have to keep it low impact the other days too. I plan to really focus on nutrition and keep up with some of the T25 workouts. I won't be able to follow the calendar exactly as written, but I'll modify and be sure I continue to work at it.

Finally, a progress post where I can say "I MADE PROGRESS!!!!"

The Honest Truth

On Sunday, Robby turned one month old! It's been a whirlwind month, full of happiness, ups and downs, and trying to figure out my new role as full-time mommy. You want the truth? I have NOT had any focus on nutrition OR working out! Yes, I took a few walks, but I have mainly been at home, on the couch, vegging out in front of the TV and binge eating junk food. I stocked my fridge with healthy options, but even eating a ton of healthy foods makes the scale move in the wrong direction.

So it's time to get real, get honest. I spent (almost) all of my pregnancy eating healthy and staying fit. Yes, I slid a bit toward the end--I was just too tired to workout hard and well, I have no excuse. I just got into some bad habits. So I'm putting it out there--I'm changing things up and getting back to my healthy self! Here's the plan:

Nutrition: I'm going to follow the 21 Day Fix meal plan, adding extra calories to ensure I have enough to continue to breastfeed. Lots of water too to keep myself milky. Of course, Shakeology daily to get in my daily dose of dense nutrition!

Fitness: This one is a bit harder because I feel like I've lost a lot in this area. For the rest of this month, my goal is walking at least 3 days per week and running 1-2 days per week. I have the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15k at the end of the month to keep me on track with this goal. I'm also planning on adding PiYo twice per week. It's the perfect new momma workout since it focuses so much on the core.

Time will definitely be a challenge, especially when I go back to work next week. I tell my clients all the time that time is just a terrible excuse, I can't use that as an excuse either! It's time to practice what I preach! Let's do this!!!!

Review of the 3-Day Refresh

This past Monday, after a very full January of racing and traveling, I finally got started on the 3-Day Refresh.  I have heard great things about this program, and heck, it was only 3 days so why not use it to kick of my February resolution of working on portion control?!?!?!  Admittedly, I should have probably prepared a bit better, but a quick morning and evening grocery store trip and I was able to stick to it.

Refresh & Portion Fix Kits

In the kit, you get the guide and 3 drinks per day (4 if you don't use your regular Shakeology).  This is the basic gist of the day: shake & fruit, fiber sweep, shake-veggie-fruit-fat lunch, veggie-fat snack, and shake with a meal for dinner.  I was really surprised at how much I actually ate!  Let's be honest, you hear "refresh", you think "cleanse" and you translate that to "starving".  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't walking around stuffed like Thanksgiving or anything, but I was definitely not starving!  There's no dairy, meat, or processed anything over the 3 days.

Refresh Dinner

So let's get on with the results.  First, I'm sharing these pics because I saw great results, so no shaming me...deal?  In 3 days, I lost 5 pounds and feel amazing!  BUT--that's actually not where it stops.  Believe it or not, I am now on 6 days without touching a Diet Coke.  If there is anything that is my #1 weakness it's my Diet Coke.  I'd actually drink up to 6 cans a day!  I know it's terrible for me, but it's just my thing!  I don't want to say that I'm giving it up completely, however I'm super proud of myself for not going right back to my 6-can-a-day habit.  I am definitely going to limit my consumption, and this was the perfect kick-off.

I'm continuing on, trying to work on portion control and eating more vegetables and fruits (definitely need more veggies).  It was the perfect way to get started on my February resolution!  Let's see how the rest of the month goes!

Disclaimer: I am an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. I help people stick to programs (like this one) and coach them to get their best results.  I do this because it's a way to reach and help more people on their health and fitness journeys.  However, I also do this because I LOVE the products and use them myself (and get great results).  All opinions are my own from my experiment of one!  I'd love to help you too, so reach out if this is something you need in your life!

Friday Five: 5 goals for 2015

I'm so happy that the girls from http://eatprayrundc.com/ http://www.marontherun.com/ & http://www.yousignedupforwhat.com/ decided for this Friday's post to be about goals.  I love New Year's Resolutions.  I don't always stick to them, but I love the idea of a fresh start.  So, without further adieu, here are my 5 goals for 15!  (Be sure to check out these ladies' sites too for tons of great bloggers who link up weekly.  I've found AWESOME blogs to follow from the Friday Five Linkup!).

1.  Get my knee back to as close to normal as possible.  I have not seen a doctor since 10 days post surgery.  (BTW, I was discharged at that time, this was not my choice).  I need to get a new doctor, perhaps one that will offer solutions, and get my knee taken care of.  I also need to do things, like strength training, to help it along.

2.  Run a 2:15 half marathon.  I've been chasing 2:00 for so long, but I've got to be realistic.  Since surgery, I haven't been able to run fast...not at all...so I need to set my sights on a realistic goal.  I'm thinking Tink in May will be my goal race.

Okay...whining about my knee is over :)

3.  Get certified as an RRCA running coach!  This is probably the most exciting thing I currently have planned :)  In March, I will be traveling to Denver to complete the 2-day training, then plan to quickly finish the rest of the requirements so I will be fully certified by the end of spring.  I cannot wait to add this to my growing list of fitness-related skills.

4.  On that note, my next goal is to build my home-based fitness business as a Beachbody Coach and an online running coach.  Don't worry, this blog is not turning into a sales pitch 24/7!  I'm finally willing, though, to take a leap of faith and make a career out of helping others get fit and healthy.  It will undoubtedly be hard and I will have to work long, hard hours (while still at my day job), but I know that if I follow my heart and passion, things will work out.

5.  Adopt one healthy habit a month.  I thought this would be a good goal to get healthier all around.  Each month I'm going to focus on adding one thing to my routine and then build as the year goes on.  Hold me to this!  So far, I've come up with my January habit: I'm going to improve my oral care routine by flossing daily, using my Sonicare (my Christmas gift to myself) twice a day and using Pro-Health mouthwash twice a day.  I hate teeth, but I've been trying to get better.  I've been really good the past 2 years about the dentist, and my 6-month check up is this month, so I thought this would be a good place to start.

I probably could come up with 5 more, but I'll leave it at that for now.  Don't forget to check out the Friday Five for some inspiration for your own goals :)  If one of your goals is to lose weight, be sure to check out the Diet Bet I'm hosting for extra "inspiration" (money as an incentive)!  http://www.dietbetter.com/games/56749

My Plan to Get Back on Track for 2015

Happy New Year Everyone!  2014 was so crazy I barely have had time to get a list of resolutions together.  Luckily, tomorrow's "Friday Five" is about goals, so I'll save that post until tomorrow.

Today, though, I'm planning how I'm getting back on track after a bit too much of indulging over the holidays.  Of course, it won't be a straight path, since I have 3 race weekends in January that include travel (it sounded so good when I planned the races). 

I have a ton of friends who have had great success with the 21-Day Fix program.  Since becoming a Beachbody coach, I've been wanting to try this program, but knew I wouldn't do the workouts.  Between teaching classes, doing PiYo at home, and running I don't know when I'd fit in another home workout.  Then, as if it was made just for me, Beachbody came out with Portion Fix, which is just the nutrition part of the 21-Day Fix.  Perfect!  My kit arrives Wednesday, along with the 3-Day Refresh.  I'm super excited to get started.  Nutrition has always been my struggle, and I know that losing some pounds will definitely help my knees and my running.  I want to get back to running faster, and this is definitely a key component.

In addition, to keep me motivated, I've organized and joined another Diet Bet.  It's worked for me before, and I get to help others while doing it.  It's seriously a win, win (and lose).  Love it!  (By the way, if you want to join, here's the link: http://www.dietbetter.com/games/56749 I'd love to have blogging friends join me--invite your friends too!).

The hardest part, for sure, is going to be NOT going crazy during my two Disney trips.  For the Goofy Challenge, I'm only there for 3 days, but I'm sure I'll have a treat or two.  The following weekend I'll be traveling to Disneyland with my hubby and friends for Star Wars.  This trip will be harder!

I'm not setting a strict number goal, because I know that it's not just about weight, but I know I have at least 20 pounds I can lose.  I'm going to focus more on eating whole, clean foods, cutting out the quick and easy solutions like the occasional fast food or the more frequent frozen lunches.  Who knows...maybe I'll learn to cook in 2015! :)

Happy 2015!  I can't wait to see what this year has in store for me...and for you! 

My Year in Review

Well, we've come to the end of 2014, and it's been a heck of a year!  This blog has been up and running for a full year, and I'm so grateful to all the friends I've met through social media.  It's been awesome to meet people in "real life" that I feel so connected to online.

As we get ready to ring in 2015, everyone is looking back as their own personal ups and downs of this past year.  Sometimes I feel like the year flew by, and other times I can't believe some things were just a year ago.  Here are some of my bests and worsts from 2014:

January: Completing the Dopey Challenge!  That may be the best of the whole year.  I've never been so proud of myself.  I PR'ed the full and cut 26 minutes off my previous PR.  It was seriously one of the coolest things ever.  If you are a pretty serious runner, I highly suggest taking on this challenge.

March:  We took an amazing trip to Hawaii.  It was there I realized how important being healthy and fit was.  I got to enjoy things like hiking, stand-up paddle boarding, and snorkeling with ease because I was in good shape.  It was the first time I looked around and realized how fitness is not only fun, it allows you to have more fun in "real life" too.

May:  Worst day of the year for sure--May 18th when I fell during a routine 8-mile run in my neighborhood.  This incident defined the rest of the year and I'm still struggling with it today.  Ironically enough, I had no idea how bad it was at the time.  I even went shopping all over town before going to the urgent care.

July:  Knee surgery.  It didn't fix anything.  It was an overall cruddy experience. 

August/September: My return to running in the Dumbo Double Dare.  It was such a slow race, but a little sign I posted on my back (and on social media) turned it around.  Runners are the best group in the world, and they pulled be through with each and every encouraging word.  It was the race that brought me back to life.


September:  I made a conscious decision to start pursuing fitness as a full-time career.  I signed up as a Beachbody Coach and registered to become a RCAA running coach (training is in March, 2015).  Making lemonade--and realizing that I have a huge passion for fitness and I'm pretty good at it too.

November: I completed the Wine & Dine half in the rain and the Vegas RnR Half in the freezing cold.  Oh yeah, and I registered for this little race called the Goofy Challenge.

And now, I sit here reflecting back on a year FILLED with blessings.  Even at some dark times, I was able to see that there are positives that can come out of every negative.  So, thank you 2014 for the ups, the down, and everything in between.  Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you had a great 2014 and 2015 promises even better.  Cheers!

My Newest Workout Obsession--PiYo

I realized I'm a little late to the party, and there are many people that have been doing PiYo for years, but hey, better late than never, right?  This is seriously my newest obsession.  Don't worry, I'm still massively obsessed with running and Be Bad Hip Hop and Zumba and BodyPump.  This is just an addition :)

About a month ago, I decided to expand my fitness business to include Beachbody Coaching.  Of course, to be a good coach, you need to know what tools you are using to help people.  I knew I needed to continue to get myself healthy after surgery, so PiYo made sense for me.  Low impact, yet challenging.  Inspired by Yoga and Pilates.  Flexibility and strength training.  Yep, sign me up!  It was all stuff I needed to balance my cardio-heavy life.  I was excited when I got the DVDs and really enjoyed the workouts.  I even sweat--which I didn't expect.  It was way more challenging than I thought.  I was hooked (and getting great results).

No sooner than I was raving about the home workouts did the opportunity to get trained in PiYo Live come right to my doorstep!  Of course, I jumped!  I could better help people doing the workouts at home, AND I could also bring this awesome workout to my clients at the gym.  Yep, sign me up again! 

Yesterday was the training.  Today, I am so sore!!!!  PiYo is no joke!!!!  I absolutely loved it live, too (not that I had any doubts).  I'm not a Yogi...not even close, so I was thrilled when, during introductions, our master trainer said to me "You are exactly who PiYo is geared toward!"  I guess that was something I missed along the way (this program has been around for about 7 years, I was just never interested).  This is a fast-paced workout that focuses on total body strength and flexibility.  I was literally dripping all over my mat! 

So now, I come to you, as one of the newest converts--and a certified PiYo Live instructor!  :)  I seriously can't wait to get my own class and spread the love.  Just like I tweeted yesterday: EVERY runner should be doing this workout! 

Just finished #PiYoLive training. LOVE this format! Every runner should be doing this workout! #runner #BeachbodyCoach #PiYoRebellion
— Disney Runs Family (@DisneyRunFamily) October 27, 2014

Vegas peeps--stay tuned!  I'm planning some fun preview workouts and hope to get a live class soon.  If you're not in Vegas and want to try PiYo, I'd love to help you get started and coach you through the program.  You can contact me here or find me on Facebook (Alyson Stater).  Do you already PiYo?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this program!

Pumpkin Spice Shake

It's fall.  Even here in Vegas the weather is finally starting to cool down, and that only means one thing: It's PUMPKIN season!  I've been working really hard on improving my fitness and nutrition, and I didn't want to derail my progress with too many treats.  I'm a nut for pumpkin, though, and I was thrilled when I found this recipe for a pumpkin shake.  Here it is:

One scoop chocolate Shakeology

1/2 c. pumpkin (be sure it's not pumpkin pie filling, but real pumpkin)

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1 c. skim milk or almond milk

It was a pretty thick drink, and the pumpkin taste wasn't overwhelming--might not be enough pumpkin for some, but it was still really good.  As good as a full-throttle pumpkin spice latte, well, not really, but it was a great treat and kept me on track. 

Do you live for pumpkin season?  What's your favorite pumpkin treat?  Any great recipes to try?

Live Your Passion

After yesterday's pity party (thanks everyone for letting me whine), I wanted to give the flip side of being injured.  A while back, I wrote a "why me" post.  (You can read the whole post HERE)  It was a little less whiny and more of trying to make sense in that "things happen for a reason" thinking.  I was struggling with two dichotomous theories: was this a message to stay with my stable life, or was the message that I truly love fitness and running and I have an intense passion for helping others love it too.

Well, now that I'm back to running (slowly) and back to teaching classes (with modifications), I can start to zero in on the fact that this has made my passion very clear.  I have a passion for fitness and I would love to make a career of that in the future.

So... this past weekend I took my first step, and I did it for two reasons: first, I need to help myself and second, with all the knowledge I have, I need to help others.  I decided to become an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.  If you aren't sure what that is, I basically help people reach health and fitness goals by coaching them through a variety of programs.  I know you've heard of programs like Insanity and P90X, right?  I'm so excited to get started with my own program and to see where this all takes me.  Interested?  You can check out my page:

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/alysonstater

I am definitely ready to get started and live my passion.  Have you ever considered a major career change?  Was it scary?  Did it work?  AM I CRAZY?  :).