Beginners Have to Start Somewhere (The Time is Now! Starts May 29)

I got my power back baby!
I got my power back baby!

You may be wondering a little about just how I ended up being here like this with you today.

Let me tell you a quick story about a couple years ago, I was so tired, sore, miserable and unhappy….had sore back, knees and whole body pain issues. Was overweight and living cheque to cheque and was truly in a bad place in life. .

At the time I was trying to find a way to pay bills as a single mom, eat clean and get into better shape..

I was struggling with juggling kids, grandson, work, looking after an acreage, horses, dogs and trying to get the bills paid. It felt like I had no time and certainly no energy to exercise and no money to buy the proper healthy food..

And I was getting more and more disgusted with the extra weight i was carrying around and realized just how out of shape I had become. I was frustrated with never having any money left over after payday. .

Then something really bad happened: I went outside to play with my kids on the lawn and suffered severely with body and back pain after that for weeks, and realized something had to change. I saw my doctor and every medical test was normal, which told me clearly that there was something seriously wrong with my lifestyle and habits..

Being in crappy shape like this meant I couldn’t be the kind of mom, grandma and friend I wanted to be and to be able to afford to do fun things in life like we deserved to do..

As you can imagine, I was in bad shape and desperate, but I wasn’t ready to give up on my dream of having my own business to build financial freedom and getting healthy again with the ultimate goal to be in the best shape of my life..

Then I discovered something called Team Beachbody, which has superfood and professionally designed fitness programs…and an opportunity to build financial freedom at the same time!

At that point, everything changed!

I discovered / finally figured out how to:

– Regain my energy, zest for life and be able to feel good again

– Working out at home with professional programs really gave amazing results (check out the muscles!)

– Eating clean and superfood is NOT expensive at all if you learn to manage your grocery budget and do not eat out

Because I discovered Team Beachbody, superfood and professionally designed fitness programs and the business opportunity, I was able to:

– Run and play with my grandson with energy and without getting tired or sore,

– Lose 40 pounds and maintain weight easier and have the effective tools and expertise to help others to get healthier as well

– Look younger, feel younger, and pay off debt which had been plaguing me for years and finally feel HAPPY!

Now I’m living my dream of having my own business and getting healthier to be in the best shape of my life and I never have to worry about suffering ever again.

And that’s why I’m so passionate about our  upcoming 21 day beginner superfood and fitness challenge where we provide the free coaching so you can successfully experience getting back into shape to be in the best shape of your life too!  ..and even grow your own fitness business if you want!

To join the upcoming beginner 21 day challenge starting May 29, contact me HERE asap to get started. 

The Benefits of Core Work (and How You Can Improve Your Life Too)

Working the core can be SUPER fun if you find the right program
Working the core can be SUPER fun if you find the right program

There are many benefits that I have noticed from working on my core strength. I used to have intermittent severe back pain that would incapacitate me for days, back aches, hip soreness, and even knee and neck pain.

If you have experienced this you will know what I mean here… Lower back issues that are acutely flaring up can cause the pain and muscle tightness to spread all over the back and body even leading to neck issues, headaches and more! In addition, having pain issues even intermittent, can lead to decreased mood, frustration and the use of pain killers which come with their own wonderful side effects to endure.

So what can be done about this?

Core strengthening leads to greater stability of the muscles surrounding the spine, hips and abdomen. By having greater stability here, it reduces movement within the spine that can lead to inflammation and pain.

I am currently on round 3, day 12 of this core blasting program and I notice a huge change in how I feel, my core feels super strong and agile and having no more back pain! What a relief this is! Being without pain is totally life changing!

Why strengthen Core?

The “core” is a term used to describe just about everything on your body that isn’t your legs and arms. This means you can think of your glutes, hips, abdominal muscles, inner abdominal muscles, pelvic floor, and scapula as your core. Your core is where your power is generated in order to carry out any movement. While abdominal and inner abdominal muscles do play a large roll in core stability, they don’t make up the core all by themselves.

Beyond the management of pain and disability, working the core can really improve our performance in other activities as well.. with a strong core, we will be a better runner, horse back rider, jumper, court sports performer, hockey player plus have more stability in every-day activities such as picking things off the floor, lifting children or grandchildren, hauling in groceries, cleaning the house and so much more!  To be able to do all of these functional activities with power, confidence and without injury is what we want, isnt it?

Tips to Strengthen your Core…

If a person is just a beginner with core work, the exercises should look a little different and please don’t focus only on the ab muscles in the front with crunches.  Only doing crunches in the setting of an already weak core can have a negative impact on your spine!

It is important to start gentle if you are a beginner with core work.   Timothy Bell does a good job giving you 5 exercises to start with to get your core muscles working for you…Check out the 4 minute video below that explains each exercise for you.  Perform each exercise back to back for the below prescribed time and reps and do this every day for the most benefit

  1. Bird Dog – 10-second holds, 8 reps per side
  2. Band Anti Rotation – 10-second holds, 8 reps per side
  3. Dead Bugs – 8 reps per side, alternating sides each rep
  4. Clam Shell – 10-second holds, 10 reps per side
  5. Tummy Vacuums – 5-second holds, 8 reps

Once you have built the strength of your core and you would like to consider more advanced core training, you may want to consider joining a Core Blasting Fitness Challenge with me.  CONTACT ME once you are feeling ready for this.

Working on and optimizing your core strength can totally change your life.  It has for me and to no longer be suffering with pain, or use of medications is a much better existence overall!

If you become a follower on this page, you will get notified by email when there is a new TIP available…plus you will get a free download about how to improve your self-discipline!.

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Working Out for Beginners (and Grandmas), and the surprising way it will change your life.

...to be healthy and fit feels fabulous!
…to be healthy and fit feels great and is worth the work!

Thinking of working out, but you’re a little afraid?

Or maybe you’re afraid of getting bulging muscles. (Don’t worry ladies, that’s highly unlikely.)

Think you’re too weak or too old or too lazy, but you want to at least give it a try?

Good.

Then I want to quickly tell you how it’s going to change your life. I mean even in your everyday stuff. I’d also like to give you a bit of direction about how to start.

 

How Working Out Will Change Your Life

The first thing many want when they start on their fitness journey is to look different. Thinner, smaller, tougher, lean. And that may happen, but you need to know right at the start, you’ll get much more out of it than just looks.

Your energy will increase. Assuming you’re eating clean and getting enough calories, the adrenaline and other hormones released into your body by exercise will affect your energy.

Your body will work better. Exercise affects you even at a cellular level. When you’re active, the body will use food more efficiently, and many parts – like the thyroid, endocrine system, pancreas, digestive system – will all signal and function better as a result. It’s pretty amazing how movement (or non-movement) affects the body.

You’ll feel better. Client after client has reported feeling more positive, less depressed or lethargic, more motivated and a feeling of being more capable. Exercise improves mental and emotional health, not just physical.

You can do more normal stuff. I’ve noticed this in my own body. Since I began working out, I can do a lot more on my own. I can bring in all the bags of groceries by myself without huffing and puffing afterward. I can shovel snow without pulling a muscle. My joints are stronger. And, if I need to move the couch or fridge, I can do it easily on my own – all important things for a single grandma!

 

Working Out – Where to Start

It’s a bit tough to say where to start, because it really depends on where your body is at.

A person recovering from back surgery or a teenager will need a whole different routine than an overweight mid-forties woman who’s otherwise healthy.

 

It’s always best to get the personalized advice from a coach who can advise you based on your specific needs and fitness level. (I can help with that) So please take the following not as specific personal advice for you to follow, but more as a general guideline.

That said, it’s often best to start slow. For a few reasons. If you’ve been especially sedentary or have health issues, this is especially true. A good beginning for you might be to stretch daily or every other day, and go for a walk or bike ride. Keep it light to start – pushing too hard right off will only destroy your motivation and invite injuries.

The next stage would be to increase intensity by either lengthening the time of your walk or bike ride, or increasing the difficulty, perhaps by traveling uphill or going faster for portions of the workout. A person could also add a cardio workout routine or consider joining an accountability group!  Click HERE to ask how!

 

The (Most Important) Thing Beginners Forget About

Most people stop there, forgetting to add the vital element of weight lifting (resistance training).

Wait ladies – before you envision giant barbells and bulging muscles – that’s not what I mean. Not at all.

Here’s the truth about muscles.  If you don’t make them work, they weaken. They weaken a lot and actually shrink (atrophy), becoming nearly useless.  A lack of exercise leads to atrophy of skeletal muscle, which essentially leads to a smaller number and size of the muscle cells!

 

Lifting is Easier Than You Think

Just so you know, lifting doesn’t have to be this big, demanding ordeal. I’ve been working out for years, and only lift 2-3 times a week. The rest is cardio. It doesn’t take huge amounts of time to get results.

It may suit you best to start out with smaller weights (3-5 lbs) even once a week, and work up to 10 or 15 as you gain strength.

 

The bottom line: if you don’t use your muscles, they’re going to leave you.
You need them. Work them. Even just a little at first. Starting small is okay.
The important thing is that you start.

To get tips about getting started on clean eating, click HERE.

To join the athletic grandma community, enter your email address HERE and get a free download about how to improve your self-discipline!