2012 New Year Goals

As the year comes to a close and the new one fast approaching, everyone is starting to think about resolutions. Did you realize that 80% of people never achieve their resolutions?! Astonishing. Mainly it's because people make resolutions without a MAP (massive action plan). So in an effort to make sure my GOALS (I use goals rather than resolutions), as well as yours, for the new year come to fruition I am going to lay out some steps to help in the success of achieving them.

Step 1 - Write down your top 10 goals for 2012. When you write them, write them as if it's the end of 2012 and they have already happened. For example, I lost 30 pounds and cut my body fat percentage to 12%.

Step 2 - Be specific with your goals. Simply saying, "I'm going to lose weight" isn't specific enough and you won't have anything to "measure". See the above example? I set 30 pounds as my goal and also had a goal of getting to 12% body fat.

Step 3 - Set a specific deadline for each goal. Be realistic when setting your goal. Don't say I will lose 30 pounds by Feb. 15, when you are starting January 1st. Also, don't be too lax on a deadline either. Saying you will lose 30 pounds by the end of the year is too broad and you are more likely to keep putting it off.

Step 4 - Stay Accountable. Tell several close friends your goals, or better yet, get an accountability partner. This way you'll both hold each other accountable for your goals and you're more likely to stick to them.

Step 5 - Break it down. Break down your goals into smaller short term tasks that will help achieve your goal. If one of your major goals is losing weight then working out, healthy eating, daily food tracking etc. should be on your list of daily to-do's.

Step 6 - Celebrate. Don't forget to celebrate achievements. Especially in the process of reaching your goal. It will keep you motivated. My best example of this is that I get to buy a new outfit after losing 10 pounds. Don't reward yourself with things that are going to sabotage your ultimate goal. Like gorging on an ice cream bender to DQ. Use things that will keep you motivated to sticking to your plan.

Finally when you have set your goals, only tackle those that you know you can handle. Trying to take on 6 goals at once is going to lead to stress, derailment and failure. Focus is KEY! I cannot stress enough. It's once we lose our focus that we start to fail.

So get cracking! Write down those goals, tell your friends, and find the tools to make sure you will succeed this year. You can do it, I know you can!!

If you need an accountability partner, look me up on Facebook. I run Challenges regularly and I am here to help you!

Cheers, love and prosperity to all in the New Year!

Skinny Phoenix

10 Tips for the Ladies

According to the latest statistics, beauty is a $32.2 billion industry—so I'm guessing it's a topic of interest for most women (myself included). Luckily, this no longer means slapping on some lipstick and bleaching our hair to make the boys in our lives drool. Women are starting to define beauty on their own terms, not only seeing it as an external goal but also an internal adventure. It's about looking and feeling great.

We've all heard how men get better with age, and women, not so much. But I believe women can stay just as hot and healthy as men. Here's how to do it.

1. For beautiful skin: Make sure you are protecting your skin from the sun by wearing sunscreen before going outside and reapplying every 2 hours. Also, keep away from too much exposure between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. Smoking is a no-no when it comes to skin. It causes wrinkles and makes you look older. Be sure to ask your doctor for ways to quit if you're struggling on your own. It's also important to eat a healthy diet. Last but not least, keep your stress levels down to avoid breakouts and other skin problems.
2. For beautiful hair: Beautiful, lustrous hair is a characteristic of health. It's also a characteristic of hotness. As we age our hair tends to get thinner and lose its color and shine. A balanced, healthy diet helps create beautiful hair. Integrate foods high in protein including meats, eggs, beans, and nuts. Look for foods high in essential fatty acids, omega-3s—tuna, salmon, peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, sunflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, and safflower oil. Last but not least, eat foods high in iron including dark greens, beans, raisins, red meats, and egg yolks.
3. For a beautiful smile: A beautiful smile is super hot. If you're looking for a natural, cheap way to whiten your teeth, you can use baking soda. Due to its gritty nature, it's able to erase stains on the teeth. Just dip your toothbrush in water then baking soda and brush away the grime. Peroxide is also a great whitener. Take equal parts water and 3 percent household hydrogen peroxide, swish it around your mouth for 30 seconds (do not swallow) and ta-da! You have whiter teeth in seconds.
4. For beautiful eyes: Our eyes are one (two) of our most precious commodities. One of the most common problems these days is eye strain due to staring at the computer or phone for long periods of time. This can sometimes have long-term damage—take breaks often. It's also important to have UV protective eyewear when exposed to the sun. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is very important for eyes. Carrots and sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene that helps ward off macular degeneration and cataracts, as do foods rich in vitamin C, such as broccoli, bell peppers, and brussels sprouts. Spinach is also a great food for the eyes; it contains vitamin C, antioxidants, and carotene that can protect your eyes from the sun.
5. For healthy bones: Judy Stenmark, CEO of Osteoporosis Australia, suggests that the best ways for a woman to maintain healthy bones are: 1) Eat foods rich in calcium, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, baked beans, oranges, apricots, almonds, walnuts, and salmon. 2) Exercise to help build and maintain strong bones. Yoga is a very gentle and productive way to strengthen your bones. 3) Maintain healthy hormone levels, specifically estrogen, which helps women absorb calcium. 4) Consume vitamin D, which helps you absorb calcium. The best way to do this is safe amounts of sun exposure; "about 6 to 15 minutes of incidental sunlight, 4 or 6 times a week, supplies an adequate dose," says Stenmark.
6. For a healthy heart: Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in women. There are many things that need to be addressed when promoting a healthy heart. According to the American Heart Association, one should avoid smoking, maintain a healthy weight, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and eat a healthy, balanced diet. Foods that will help keep your heart healthy are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Research studies suggest that fatty acids slow down the production of artery plaque. Omega-3s can also ward off inflammation, blood clots, and keep your blood pressure at safe levels. Load up on foods like salmon, tuna, oatmeal, flaxseed, almonds, and walnuts. Many fruits and vegetables also have vitamins and minerals that will keep your arteries free of cholesterol-induced plaque. Include apples, grapes, tomatoes, berries, spinach, chard, and garbanzo beans in your diet to keep your pipes clean.
7. For a hot body: This is an obvious one, I know. You have 1,440 minutes in every day. Set 30 of those aside for exercise. As a Beachbody Coach, I make it my personal mission to convince the world that you need to integrate exercise into your life, just like you integrate brushing your teeth. Exercise can keep you young and healthy both on the inside and out. It's important that you enjoy yourself while exercising, so you will be encouraged to continue and get your heart rate up, so that you jump-start your metabolism.
8. Keep your hormones in check: When a woman's hormones are off, the whole world knows it. But more importantly, she feels it. Hormones are important chemicals in the body that are responsible for transferring information from one cell to another. Hormones affect every part of your being, both internally and externally. You can help regulate your hormones by decreasing stress, increasing exercise, and eating a healthy diet. Eating hormone-free foods that are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can help regulate hormones in your system. You can find your omegas in vegetable oils, fish oils, nuts, and seeds. Eating lots of fruits and veggies will keep you stocked up on vitamins and minerals as well. Soy products should be consumed in moderation to avoid an overabundance of estrogen production. Always keep in mind that you may need to work with a doctor in order to get the proper treatment should problems persist.
9. For intellect: Imagine your brain as a forest. Your brain cells or neurons would be tree trunks, and your dendrites would be the branches growing from the trunks and forming the canopy of the brain. When you begin to age, your brain cells start to lose the tree branches that connect neurons to other neurons. You need these tree branches to help facilitate thoughts. When they deteriorate, you can become forgetful and lose proper functioning skills. Current scientific research suggests that exercise is actually the best combatant against mental decline. Dr. Fred Gage at the Laboratory of Genetics at the Salk Institute conducted a scientific research study involving mice running on wheels. He found that the mice that participated in exercise were able to easily find their way through mazes, and scored significantly higher on rodent IQ tests than those who were not able to exercise. So if a few spins on the wheel do that, imagine what a round of P90X® or TurboFire® can do (hint: see my previous post on the Cure for Stress!). 
10. For a beautiful soul: Stated beautifully by Audrey Hepburn, "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others. For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness. And for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." Ladies, beauty is so much more than your physical body. The most beautiful thing about women is our own unique expression of self in this world. Women must cultivate an inner, timeless beauty that will only flourish as we age. It is important that you continually check in internally to make sure you are integrating pleasurable, centering activities. Meditation, exercising, reading, and spending time with friends and family that love you are all amazing soul foods. Begin creating a "Bliss List" today, documenting all the activities that make you happy, and be sure to integrate several of those things in your everyday life.

Ladies, life is short and we only get one ride around the world in this body of ours. You are beyond blessed for having been given the honor of being a woman. Be the best you can be, and always honor your body, mind, and soul in order to stay "hot and healthy." Age does not define your worth, YOU DO!

Seriously, I Have Found the Cure for Stress!!

My Monday didn't start off so wonderful today. I woke up, only because my 9 year old had woke me up because my alarm failed to go off. My stomach was killing me for reasons still unknown. I had to rush to get my kids ready and get them to daycare and school. I get to work late. Have a meeting with my boss, who ended up giving me more work that is due in an insane deadline. Had another executive that I had to do work for today, which added to my already bursting workload. Took a short lunch so I could continue hacking away at my mounting tasks. Finally by 6:30 pm, after working an hour and a half late, I decided I better get my butt home so I could work out, shower and get ready to meet with some very awesome friends for dinner.

In between work and my workout my ex-husband decides to berate me with some very rather unpleasant texts which was him lashing all his negativity and hatred at me. I try to stay decently calm when dealing with him, but sometimes that is the hardest thing to do and all I want to do is lash back. I did lash back a little (shame on me, I know), but I regained control and just ended the conversation and stopped responding. I used the anger and frustration that was created because of that conversation and put that, along with the entire stresses of my day into my work out and killed it!  You know how that made me feel afterward? Amazing! I felt so relieved, strong, powerful and in control of my emotions. Working out made me centered again. It brought me the inner peace I needed from my stressful day.

This is one of the main reasons I work out. Not just for the physical benefits of it, but also for the mental aspects. I get that natural high afterward because I know I pushed my workout to my top performance level. I feel at peace, truly happy and euphoric.

I also have recharged my confidence and self-respect to help me better deal with those every day unpleasantries that invade our daily lives. So the next time you've had one of the most stressful days of your week, take that stress out in a workout. I promise that's exactly where you'll leave it!

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Holidays are one of the hardest times to stick to eating right. There's the added stress, an erratic schedule full of holiday parties and festive get-togethers, and endless toasting, all of which leads to you feeling bloated and uncomfortable by the time January 2nd comes around. However, the holidays don't have to be that way!

Here are some ways you can enjoy the season and not regret it later:

1. Drink less
For many of us, calorie-laden beverages are hard to avoid during the holidays. Consider all the peppermint lattes, hot chocolate, eggnog, wine, champagne...Shall I go on? If you're the type to be tempted by these, try this idea. Pick one. In other words, choose one for the day: enjoy a latte for the day or a glass of wine. And when you can, trim down the calories (i.e., use skim milk in that hot chocolate). This way, you're not denying yourself, and you're teaching yourself moderation. And the rest of the time, drink water! Even if it's the sparkly kind with a slice of lime to make you feel festive.

2. Bake less
If you love baking during the holidays, that's great. We're sure your family loves your baked goodies. But consider how much you're baking and for how many. Are you making 14 dozen cookies for your intimate family of 4? Perhaps it's time to cut back. This holiday season, select just one or two of your favorite recipes to bake, and cut your typical quantity at least in half. This way you'll not only cut down on unnecessary calories lurking around the house, you'll also reduce your stress level. Or try to make some no-bake Shakeology cookies! Delicious, low cal, high protein satisfy your chocolate fix!

3. Prioritize
More than likely, the parties that you go to will have tables stocked with food of the less-healthy variety. This is when it's important to prioritize instead of snapping up every canapé on the spread. Take a plate, pick one of each of your favorite items, and load up the rest of your plate with fresh veggies or fruit if available. Another option is to eat before going to the party. This way you won't be tempted to take a bite of the mini quiche just because it's there and you're hungry. And remember, it's the people and the conversations that should be the focus—not the food!

4. Deny leftovers
When it comes time after the party for the host to begin giving away leftovers, either make yourself scarce or let them know that you'd love to take some but your fridge is stocked. (They will definitely understand.) But sometimes, having extra temptations on hand is unavoidable. If your neighbor brings over a plate of mouth-watering cookies, instead of turning her away, graciously thank her and enjoy one. Then take the rest to your next function. It's the season of re-gifting!

5. Amp up your workouts
Many Americans excuse themselves from healthy eating and regular workouts because "it's that time of year." Poor choice. Rather than skipping your workouts, intensify them. Holidays are when you really need the mood-enhancing, stress-busting effects of exercise more than ever!

6. Enjoy a taste
Some do well by swearing off "forbidden" foods, but for many of us that notion only leads to bingeing or a feeling of deprivation. If that's the case, allow yourself the treat, just make it a small portion and account for it during your next workout.

7. Scrap the "dieter's mentality"
I forbid you to say these 5 little words ever again: "I'm starting my diet tomorrow." This mentality leads people to believe that healthy eating is all or nothing. Have a cookie or two, but catch yourself before you slip into the "Oh, I've blown it, so now I might as well have 10 more!" way of thinking. That mentality is the root of all yo-yo dieting. Think of your eating as a way of life, not a diet.

Healthy Dining Out Tips

When you start to eat healthily, dining out, which was once a guilty pleasure you enjoyed indulging in, has now become a culinary terror.


Servings are gargantuan in size. Supertankers of soda abound. Fries come with your order whether you want them or not. Not a veggie can be seen for miles.

Trust me, I struggle with eating out too. My biggest challenge is trying to figure out how many calories I'm really eating when I eat out. I have found that with healthy eating, I can't restrict myself from food, otherwise, I go nuts. So I have learned moderation and smarter choices are the better route to go. And yes, sometimes I will let myself indulge. But for the majority of the time I make the smartest choices I can when dining out.

Please remember that even with these tips, restaurant dining is almost always going to be less healthy than what you can make at home. That said, here are a few pointers:

1. Make smart choices

Almost every menu contains chicken or fish cooked in a healthy way. Look for words like "grilled," "broiled," or "steamed," and avoid "sautéed" and "fried."

2. Skip the appetizer

By definition, an appetizer is intended to get your appetite going. But when some appetizers contain more than 1,000 calories, that's not an appetizer—that's a full meal and more! If you do want an appetizer, ask your table if they'd be willing to split one of the healthier options like a salad, bruschetta, ceviche, or anything that's light on sauce and heavy on fruits, veggies, or lean protein.

3. Eat a salad

Greens are also a great option, but not all salads are created equal. Stick with salads that don't contain mayo (in other words, avoid the tuna and chicken salad), and ask for the dressing on the side. This way you can add your tablespoon or two, instead of having your salad drenched in it.

4. Side dishes in your mouth mean sidecars on your thighs

At many restaurants, the "side" is a baked potato, fries, or coleslaw. What does that equal? Unnecessary calories. If you'd like a side, request the salad (dressing on the side), fruit, or steamed veggies, even if you don't see them as an option.

5. No bread

Don't eat the bread. Does it taste good? Sure! But instead of eating something because it's in front of you, swap those empty calories for something you'd actually enjoy.

6. Eat half

Over time, American portion sizes have enlarged to ginormous sizes. Restaurants often provide you not with one serving of pasta, but with as many as 4 or more. But if you have a hard time not cleaning your plate—after all, the food does taste good—request that the waiter split your order in half before they bring it to the table. That way you can enjoy your dinner as lunch later in the week.

7. No soda

If bread is bad, soda might be worse. That's because it's easy to consume massive amounts of calories fast. And don't even think about going the "diet" route. Those artificial sweeteners aren't healthy, and they can lead you to crave more sugary substances. Talk about a lose-lose! If you want something other than water, ask for unsweetened iced tea. It's calorie free, so you can drink as much as you want! Of course if you absolutely must have soda, stick with diet so you don't have to worry about calories, but work towards weaning yourself off of soda completely.

8. Dessert

Really??? Granted, some restaurants use restraint, and focus more on unique flavors than on quantity, but if you're out with friends at the type of place where the dessert has more calories than your meal, and they insist upon ordering it, suggest the table split it. Then take a single bite and put your spoon down. It's not about denying yourself, but about making smart choices. If you're still craving something sweet when you get home, enjoy some yogurt and berries or a piece of fruit.

Strength Training

Ok, so I wanted to talk a little bit about strength training. I am currently doing Chalean Extreme circuit training, so I thought it would be fitting to write about. I've talked to several friends, girls particularly, and they always say the same thing..."Oh I won't lift weights because I don't want to bulk up". Sorry, but I am going to stomp that myth in it's tracks right now. That is a bunch of bullsh*t. Women naturally are smaller than men and do not have the testosterone to "bulk up". Muscle makes us girls look leaner, helps us burn fat faster, makes us look younger and more youthful, softens our skin, strengthens not only our muscles but our brains as well. I use to think the same thing, lifting = bulky. Well, I'm going to break it to you plain and simple, unless you're taking steroids you're not going to "bulk up" like a guy.

Still not convinced you should strength train? Here's a good reason. After the age of 30, we all lose a quarter pound of muscle mass each year. Yikes! With less muscle, our metabolism slows down and we gain fat—averaging about 15 pounds a decade. While muscle is metabolically active (each pound of muscle burns approximately 35 to 50 calories per day), stored fat is not, burning far fewer calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day, whether you're walking, vacuuming . . . even sleeping! What's more, while aerobic activity burns fat during exercise, weight training utilizes fat hours after exercising, so your metabolism stays slightly elevated for a longer period of time following a strength-training session than following an aerobic workout.


I don't know about you, but I'm all for burning fat while sleeping! :D

So get into a weight training schedule, whether you want to try Chalean Extreme, hire a personal trainer, or go to a gym, just start somewhere! As always, I am here to help, so if you want to get a program through me or have any questions, I am here to help you achieve your goals too!

Have a FIT day!

When You're Eating, SLOW DOWN!

Eating should NOT be a race. Hurrying through a meal causes you to miss most of its delicious flavors, not to mention that you're likely to eat way more than you should. That's because your body doesn't recognize it's full until twenty minutes after you've eaten too much. I must admit, that I was an offender. But I've slowed way down. I use to always eat lunch at my desk, finish eating supper 10 minutes before everyone else, and my breakfast... well that is always an "on-the-go" meal.

So knowing that I needed to slow down to really enjoy and savor my meals took some getting use to. A great way to do this, is to eat with a friend that you know you will talk a lot with. Why? Because talking to someone while you're eating, slows down the process. You usually don't talk with your mouth full, so you can consciously take smaller bites, taste and chew your food longer while you listen to your dinner buddy give you the dish on everything exciting in their life! Juicy low-down on friend and eating your meal slower so that you will feel fuller without overindulging, BONUS! But be careful doing this. When you get your meal, or better yet make it yourself, portion out exactly what you should be eating, so you don't trap yourself into the "mindless noms" of just stuffing your face because something is in front of you and you are distracted by the enthralling conversation of your friend. Be aware of how much you're eating and just slow down, relax, TASTE your food and enjoy the wonderful company.

Alternatively, if you are solo dining, this is a great time to really analyze how you eat. Instead of rushing through your meal to get to whatever it is next that you need to rush to, go slower. Put your phone down. Turn off the television. Chew slowly and focus on each bite, putting your fork down between them. Also, get your full glass of water in, by taking a drink after every bite. By doing so, you'll reach that feeling of satiety without ever feeling like you need to unloosen your belt a notch.

Shakeology Day 2 & 3 Final Results!!

I'm sorry I didn't post my results right away! I had it in draft form and didn't publish it! Grr! Silly me. Anyway, I ended up losing a whopping 5.2 pounds during my 3 day cleanse. It was an easy cleanse to do, because for the most part I didn't feel "starved". The first day was by far the hardest day, mostly mentally getting over any cravings I may have been exposed to. Other than that, pretty darn easy, compared to other cleanses I've done before. I did another cleanse about 1 month prior to the Shakeology one but on that one I felt so starved, completely famished and couldn't stick to it. With Shakeology it was different, way more satisfying and tasted way better!

So there are my results, sorry it took me so long to get them posted. My life in and of itself has been a bit hectic and crazy. I just may post about that stuff later, we'll see.

Hope to see you soon!

~Skinny Phoenix

6 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Nutrition

Habits are hard to alter. So, here are six changes you can make to improve your nutrition. Your body will thank you if you try even half of them.

1. Eat a healthful, low-fat breakfast each morning. Focus on whole grains, fruit and low-fat dairy products.

2. Aim for at least six servings of grains each day; ideally three should be whole grains. Whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, whole rolled oats, popcorn, whole grain cereals, and whole grain corn are good examples of grains to include in a healthful diet.

3. Go to your grocery store and purchase one fruit that you’ve never tasted before. If you don't know what it is, ask the manager of the department. If you don't know how to prepare it, ask about that too.

4. While at the grocery store, select one vegetable that you haven't had in a year. When you arrive home, consult your favorite cookbook for a new recipe using it. Better yet, wash it and eat it fresh and raw. Or, you can try parboiling it for just a minute and then plunge into ice water.

5. Consume one more vegetable than you did last week.

6. Purchase a vegetarian cookbook.

~Skinny Phoenix

Skinny Phoenix’s Accountability Group

My accountability group is for those looking to be accountable to themselves as well as to others to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. I am going to be fairly strict on this and you will be held accountable for daily check-ins. If you fail to check in for 3 days straight you will be booted out. I only want those who are serious and who will remain committed. If you want to lose weight and change your eating habits to reflect those of health, but have never been able to stick to something because you couldn’t “do it alone” then this group would be for you.


Step 1 – Email me at skinnyphoenix31@gmail.com. Let me know what you weigh now, what your goal weight is, how you are working out/plan to work out [i.e. which program, TurboFire, P90X, Running, Swimming, etc.], and how many times a week you are willing to commit to working out. “Like” my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/skinnyphoenix).

Step 2 – Sign up for a free Beachbody account via my website http://www.beachbody.com/skinnyphoenix. This is where you will be logging your workouts, in the online gym (this way you will also be eligible to win the daily prizes!). Set up your profile and add any before pictures and add a small blurb about yourself. Add your weight and measurements to your profile as well as your goals then email me your measurements. Add me as a buddy. I should show up under your profile pic on the left hand side of the screen as your “Coach” you will just need to add me as a buddy. Order your fitness program (if you need one) and Shakeology (if you want to accelerate your weight loss).

Step 3 - Full accountability (FA). On Facebook you will be added to Skinny Phoenix’s Accountability Group. You will log in daily to the FB Accountability Group, log your food on a daily basis, and write a short few comments on what you did for the day, worked out, had struggles staying away from the donuts, small successes and minor failures, etc. We will do weekly weigh in’s on Monday’s. I want this to be a place where you are held accountable for what you are doing. I realize it make take a little extra time out of your day, but remember you are doing this for yourself. You deserve it and you deserve to live in the body that makes you proud and to have the energy to keep up (or run circles) with those around you.

Together we can do this and achieve our goals!!

Day 1 Shakeology Cleanse

Ok, so after day one of my Shakeology, I lost 1.4 pounds! I was hoping to lose more, but I cheated a bit. So I'm still pretty happy that I lost that much! I did extremely well, didn't feel too hungry and the fact that I got to eat some "solid" foods helped tremendously. My cravings were greatly diminished and I didn't crave the normal "junky" food I usually do.

I posted a YouTube video about it here that you can go watch...
Day 1 Cleanse Vlog

If you want to do this cleanse with me, which I plan on doing again at the beginning of September, shoot me an e-mail at skinnyphoenix31@gmail.com. I am also starting an accountability group kicking off on August 15th, so let me know if you would like to be included on that as well.

I will update later on my Day 2 results.

Happy Weight Loss!!!
Skinny Phoenix

Losing Weight Fast and Healthy - A Fresh Start

Check out my video regarding this Shakeology Cleanse
I’m going to talk about doing a Shakeology cleanse. I am going to do one because I’ve lost about 45 pounds in the past with Beachbody, and then the stresses of life caused me to gain some weight back. I was down to 138 pounds and gained 20 pounds back! I’ve recently lost about 7 pounds, but it hasn’t been the healthy way, so I need to put a stop to that. I decided to do a Shakeology cleanse to not only cleanse my body in preparation for weight loss, but also to cleanse my mind. I am doing it to start fresh with my weight loss and start fresh with my mindset and my negative ways of thinking. You can lose up to 5 pounds doing the Shakeology cleanse, depending on how much you have to lose. I plan on losing 5 pounds because I’ve gained all this weight back, I’ve been eating like crap and I now have 30 pounds to lose. It’s a three day cleanse. I know I can lose weight from this, in fact my upline coach lost 2.4 pounds on her first day of the cleanse!! I know if she can do it, I can do it. After the cleanse, I will be writing out a nutrition and fitness plan to continue my weight loss journey. I am not just doing this as a “diet”, I’m doing this as a lifestyle change. I personally know that you need to keep trying until you get it right. So this is going to be my way of life. Eating healthy and exercising on a regular basis. I know I need to get back to exercising because it was such a huge stress relief. I felt so great after doing it, felt an enormous sense of accomplishment and it gave me the confidence I so needed in my life. When I’m not exercising on a regular basis as a stress relief, the stress gets to me and I get those negative thoughts that creep back and say “you can’t do this”, “you’ll never get out of this situation” etc. I decided, enough is enough! I am going to stop listening to that negative thinking and turn things around and doing this cleanse is exactly the fresh start I need to do that. If you want to do a cleanse to kick start your own weight loss or your own “starting over”, please join me. To get Shakeology you can order it from my website, www.beachbodycoach.com/SkinnyPhoenix. I am also starting an accountability group on August 15^th, so e-mail me at skinnyphoenix31@gmail.com to join me.

"I'm Kind of a Big Deal"

Ok, I'm not really a big deal, but I do feel pretty good right now. Life has been a bit crazy and hectic to say the least. I've got health issues, money issues, marriage issues, you name it, I've probably got some sort of issue with it. But I WILL survive!! As the song says. I will move on with my life and create a much happier one. Because really, it's up to ourselves to truly make us happy. I'm starting with me and I'm basically starting over with everything. I've had a bout of health issues (cysts again) that have got worse, due to other stresses in my life, which have caused me to again put a hold on my fitness and working out. But, I'm slowly getting back into things. Started working out again today, and although it was pretty difficult and I feel a bit out of shape, I feel so great that I did it. It relieved so much stress. Stress relief is exactly what this girl needs, and what better, healthy way to do it than to work out? So I did TurboFire, Fire 45.
I also decided to refocus my business efforts back into Health and Fitness. It's something I'm really passionate about, enjoy immensely and have no problem talking about. So my website is back up and running!!
If you are friends with me on Facebook, please help me out by "LIKING" my Fan page, which is here... LIKE ME. So that is about all I got for the day.

Time to go shower and wash the world away!