10 Things Only Other Beachbody Coaches Will Understand

Woah!  So I came back from Beachbody Coach Summit in Nashville on Sunday, but man, was I exhausted!  This is really the first chance I've had to write a post between catching up on sleep and catching up on some things that need to be caught up on after you've been out of state for five days!
First let me just tell you that Summit was an AMAZING experience.  I made great new friends, learned SOOO much, had dream-come-true workouts with celebrity trainers, and savored some of the delicious cuisine of downtown Nashville.
It is SO WONDERFUL to be around other coaches.  Coaches GET IT.  This is a lifestyle, a culture.  Even though I have been a coach for over a year, I don't think I truly appreciated all that being a coach MEANS until I went to Summit.  So  today, I present my list of things only other Beachbody Coaches will understand:

1.  Taking a road trip with other people you may have never met before in real life.  On my trip, there were four women riding in my car to Nashville.  One of them was one of my personally sponsored coaches whom I used to work with.  I haven't seen her in person in YEARS.  Another woman was another coach on my team who I've met in person ONCE, in January when we flew to Pittsburgh for a Super Saturday.  The other woman was one of HER personally sponsored coaches, who I had never met at all.  Was it weird?  For maybe five minutes.  Just let me tell you:  these women are INCREDIBLE.  No wonder people say their coach friends become their best friends.  We have similar lifestyles, goals, and attitudes.  These chicks are FIERCE.

2.  The surreal feeling you get when you finally meet people in person that you've only talked to online.  You feel like you are meeting for the first time, but you aren't!  And you aren't sure at first if they know who YOU are (but they always do).

3.  No one in the car drinks soda.  No one.  Not once, in the five days we were there, did any of us.  I cannot imagine myself in a group of any other four people in my normal life where I can say that.

4.  The only new clothes we bought for our big annual convention trip were new workout clothes.  All.  Four.  Of.  Us.  Isn't that funny?  I threw together dresses I've had for awhile and some cool, comfortable clothes, but I just HAD to have some new workout pants and a snazzy new tank.

5.   Workout clothes, by the way, are perfectly legitimate outfits for the training sessions for said convention.  I'm not sure there are other conventions where this is true.

6.  It's pretty funny when the local Panera runs out of egg white and avocados.  Only sort of - that's what I was going to order!  This was on the second day of Summit.  True story!  Next year we should call the week ahead and warn them we are coming so they can be better prepared.

7.  We can identify other coaches by their toned and sexy arms!  It is true that coaches come in all shapes and sizes, but we could definitely tell other coaches by their shapely arms and comfort wearing workout clothes just about anywhere.

8.  Getting up at 5:00 AM to go STAND IN LINE for a workout.  Now, I wouldn't do this for just any workout, but I would do this for a CELEBRITY workout, say with Shaun T or Chalene Johnson.  And I did!  I would do it again!  Working out with Chalene LIVE has been an item on my bucket list for a LONG time.  She is MY HERO!

9.  Packing a cooler with lots and lots of water and lots and lots of healthy snacks.  I'm glad we did, because let me tell you - Beachbody kept us SO BUSY between workouts, general sessions, training, and parties, that there was NOT much time to eat or sleep.  Having cheese sticks, fruit, carrots, hummus, and healthy sandwiches in our mini fridge at our hotel SAVED OUR LIVES.  Packets of Shakeology helped a ton, too!  At least we knew we were being nourished.

10.  Feeling like you've found your TRIBE.  Some people just don't get the whole working out thing.  It's hard.  It's boring.  It's drudgery.  They would rather have their entire body waxed.  Not coaches.  Coaches have pushed through that point and CRAVE movement.  Sure, there are days we just don't wanna, but we know if we do we won't regret it.  Coaches are people just like you who have made a commitment to be the best version of themselves, and they love to help others do the same!  While we are all different, we have different lives and personalities, we are SO alike in that we love what we do.  We LOVE being a part of those after pictures.  We LOVE being a part of helping people to find their confidence, and then passing it on.

Have you ever wondered EXACTLY what it is that I do as a coach?  Have you wondered how I make money, or how much I make?  How much time or commitment does it take to be a coach?  You can have all of these questions and more answered in my 5 Day Coaching Sneak Peek that begins on Monday!  Just shoot me a message and let me know that you are in!  No pressure or obligation; just information.
Are you ready to BE FIERCE?

Where have you been, Julia?

I know, I know; it’s been awhile.  Several weeks, actually.  I haven’t been posting much, or blogging, or advertising for challenge groups.  

I have been taking some time to care for myself.   You see, before now, I’ve been too ashamed to talk about it much, but I have a disease.  It affects 121 MILLION other people around the world RIGHT NOW (Healthline).  

What is that disease, you ask?

It is depression.  And people don’t talk about it.

Depression has this stigma.  In fact, in my first major depressive episode as a teenager, I BEGGED my mother to take me to a psychiatrist or to put me on medication; she FLAT OUT refused.  She told me that the stigma of depression would follow me for the rest of my life and ruin any chances I would ever have of getting a good job.

She wasn't completely wrong. While it hasn't hindered me professionally, it has kept me from purchasing long-term disability insurance since I had EVER in MY LIFE been treated for depression. That was years ago, too.

Mind you, this is a hereditary disease; she’s not here for me to ask, but I am fairly certain my mother suffered from depression herself.

Anyway, with this most recent episode that began last fall, I did seek help, but I hid it from everyone.  I was ashamed; what was wrong with me that I just couldn’t SNAP OUT OF IT?  Was I crazy?  Psycho?  Was I worse because I needed medication to deal with it?

It is difficult to hide an elephant the size of major depression.  People who didn’t even know me that well could tell that something just wasn’t right.  I told everyone I was fine, but only if they bothered to ask.

I was not fine.  I am still NOT FINE.

Once I finally started opening up to close friends, I received amazing support; that is not surprising - I have amazing people in my life.  But overwhelmingly, what I started hearing when I would tell people about my anxiety and depression is this:

“Me, too.”

I thought I would hear “oh, you should just cheer up!  You have nothing to be depressed about!”  I did hear that, too.  The “me too” people said it quietly, under their breaths, and I would have NEVER known if they hadn’t told me.

Why are people with this disorder are treated as though they have done something wrong?  They haven’t; it is both chemical and genetic and absolutely no one’s fault.  If someone with leukemia were treated the way people suffering from depression were treated, the world would have something to say about it.

For the last year and some months, I have had the honor of being a Beachbody Coach.  I have helped countless people get fit, lose weight, and change their lives.  I have been doing my part to #endthetrend of obesity in this country.  Now, I’ve decided to use coaching as a platform to change something else:

I’m going to talk about depression.  Openly and honestly.  I want other people, especially women, to know that they are not the only ones.  I want to help them find healthy ways to deal with their disease.  I want to help them to find resources to seek out the roots of their problems instead of hoping for a magic pill to make it go away.

I am not a doctor or a therapist.  I cannot diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. But what I can do is talk about it - all of it.  I’m going to talk about what I have done that helps, and what doesn’t.  I’m going to talk about how I feel, even on the bad days, and I’m going to talk about what I am learning about myself and the world.  I want other people to join the conversation.  I want others to know that they do not have to fight this battle alone.

I want to #endthestigma of anxiety and depression.  I hope you will join me.

Be fierce!

Pepper Asparagus Pasta

When I was doing my student teaching, my cooperating teacher was Elizabeth.  I really lucked out with her; she is smart, she has a great sense of humor, and as green as I was back then, she was very patient and understanding with me.  I was so nervous!  I was practically afraid of the teenagers.  I so desperately wanted to do well that I stressed and fretted the entire semester.  

At the time, Elizabeth was pregnant.  I couldn’t figure out why a pregnant woman would choose the additional stress of having a student teacher, but about halfway through the semester when she asked if I would be her long-term sub while she was on maternity leave, I was ecstatic!  She made me feel like I must have done okay.

Anyway, in addition to being so wonderful in many ways, Elizabeth is also a vegetarian.  Every so often she would bring in this pasta dish for lunch; it was so pretty, and it smelled divine!  I would ogle it every time she brought it.  Finally, I asked her for the recipe, and she was kind enough to share it with me.

I’ve made the dish several times since then, and once I began my clean-eating journey, I made one small change to it: I replaced what originally was bow-tie noodles with whole wheat rotini noodles (if I could find whole wheat bow-ties, I would use those, but as of yet, no such luck).  It is still clean, still wonderful, still fresh and vibrant, just like Elizabeth.

This Pepper Asparagus Pasta makes a great lunch or dinner and reheats beautifully.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 red and/or orange bell peppers, chopped

1 lemon, zested, juice reserved

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. salt

2 cups whole grain pasta such as rotini or mostaccioli (if you can find bowties or farfalle, go for it!)

¼ cup olive oil

Parmesan cheese,shredded

Directions:

1. Cook pasta.  Drain.
2. Saute lemon zest, peppers, asparagus, salt, and pepper in olive oil over medium heat until vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Add beans and juice from lemon.  Cook until warm.  
4. Stir in pasta and additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve either warm or room temperature with shredded parmesan cheese.

Let me know what you think if you try it!  In the meantime...

BE FIERCE!

CLX Week 9 Update and Meal Plan

Forgive me if I have several typos, as my arms are sore and feel a little shaky!  I just completed week 9 of ChaLEAN Extreme.  This is the first week of the LEAN Phase, and let me tell you, my body KNOWS I'm doing something new.
The Lean Phase focuses on working multiple parts of the body simultaneously; for example, you might be going into a forward lunch while lifting one arm into an Arnold press with a weight(!).  A move like this works your whole body - arms, legs, butt, and core.  This month also has you doing breakdown sets from the very first to the very last exercises in the workouts for maximum effectiveness.  After each strength session this week, my arms were TREMBLING in the shower while I was washing my hair!  I've also noticed that my legs and abs seem tighter, and if I remember correctly from the last time I did this program, this is the month  where I saw the biggest changes to my body.

I don't know if it is the weather FINALLY breaking, or just my body craving what is good for it, but I have been yearning for HEALTHY YUMMIES!  I cannot wait for local fruit to be good and sweet! Lately, egg white omelettes, spinach salads, and oatmeal seem to be haunting my dreams.  I can definitely tell you that this is a good thing!

This week, I am on spring break from teaching, so I know I need to stick to a meal plan!  But also, since I have more time this week, there has been some recipes I've been wanting to try, so I am enjoying my time off by getting playful in the kitchen!  I will blog about the ones that turn out well.
The downside (well, sort of) to having ten days off is that there are so many people I want to catch up with, because honestly, when school is in, it is just so hard to find the time!  I'm having lunch at Crown Candy Kitchen with my BFF Rachel and her youngest son; there is no way I'm going there and not ordering a shake and a BLT!  But I'm going to see if Rachel and Cameron will split a shake with me because they are HUGE!  On Thursday I'm having lunch with my friend Kim at Panera, which is awesome because I know I can always find something healthy there (that power salad I had last week keeps coming to mind - YUM!).  On Friday night, date night, Handsome Hubby and I have been wanting Fish Fry.  Even though we aren't Catholic, it IS the season for fish frys, so it will definitely be a cheat meal!  But I have made it something I really want, so I'm okay with it.
Notice I am having TWO cheat meals this week.  I don't usually do that, but considering I am on vacation (and can get in a extra workout or two ;)) and I am maintaining my weight, not trying to lose, I am going to be flexible and let it happen, but I am not going to make a habit of it.  The rest of this week I am STRICTLY sticking to my plan.
Speaking of, here it is:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Meal Plan for 3.16 Meal Plan
Workout	Lean Circuit 1	Lean Circuit 2	Burn Intervals and Extreme Abs	Lean Circuit 3	Burn it Off and Recharge	Rest	Rest
Breakfast Protein, CCFV, protein	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit
Snack Protein, CCFV,	Halos and cheese stick	Halos and cheese stick	Halos and cheese stick	Halos and cheese stick	Halos and cheese stick	Halos and cheese stick	Halos and cheese stick
Lunch CCFV; protein; CC-S; HF	Asparagus and White Bean Pasta	Clean Orange Chicken and fried Brown Rice	Cheat – Crown Candy Kitchen with the Leals	Bread Co – Power salad and apple	Leftovers	Leftovers	Leftovers
Snack Protein, CCFV,	Apple and almonds	Apple and almonds	Apple and almonds	Apple and almonds	Apple and almonds	Apple and almonds	Apple and almonds
Dinner CCFV(2); protein; CC-S(2); HF(2)	Clean Orange Chicken and fried Brown Rice	Shredded Beef Crockpot tacos	Clean chicken fettuccini alfredo, salad	Leftovers	Cheat – Fish Fry	Leftovers	Mexican Chicken, salad
Snack Protein, CC-S,	Mini Peppers and hummus	Mini Peppers and hummus	Mini Peppers and hummus	Mini Peppers and hummus	Mini Peppers and hummus	Mini Peppers and hummus	Mini Peppers and hummus

What is YOUR spring break plan?  How are you keeping yourself accountable?  

If you would like to learn how to make your very own meal plan, consider joining my upcoming "Spring into Fitness" support and accountability group!  It begins March 23.  Fill out this application:

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

Oh, yeah:
BE FIERCE!

How to Stay on Track During Spring Break

Spring break:  for teachers, it is a definite benchmark in the school year.  Personally, for me, it feels like the rest of the year is a downhill ride; we save the most enjoyable units for that last stretch. Let's face it; we LOVE our students. They are the absolute best parts of our job. They are the REASON we do the job. I once read a statistic somewhere that said the teachers make over 200 decisions before 8 AM; day after day, that can wear a person out . In a profession that sometimes requires “hanging on” until the next break, spring break is a good place to be because the next break after that is SUMMER!

However, an extended break from work can derail your efforts in weight loss and fitness.  I myself would like nothing more than to sleep, eat, nap, and catch up on the DVR, but I know how difficult it is to get back on track!  Here are my tips for staying on track this year during spring break:

1. Go play outside.  People, IT IS SPRING!  Go out and enjoy the weather.  Take your dog for a hike, go for a run at the park, catch up with some friends for a game of softball.  Get some sunshine, some vitamin D, and some relaxation time all at once!
   
2. Make an interesting meal plan.  With TEN whole days off (counting the weekends), I finally have time to try some new recipes I’ve been wanting to take for a spin, but seem like too big of a commitment to undertake on a weeknight the first time out.  Since I have more time, I am making some really yummy, interesting meals that will make me WANT to eat healthy.
3. Schedule your cheat meal.  Notice the word meal is singular.  Pick that one meal you have really been craving, put it on your meal plan, and use it as your carrot.
4. Don’t use your break as a catch-up.  This is me; I am always tempted to do this.  I even made a spring break to-do list, but once I realized how much I was putting on it and how much time it would all take, I reigned myself in.  Pick two or three things you would like to accomplish over break, and then schedule those things in.  Then, on the other days, strategically schedule such practical items as sleeping in, meeting a friend for lunch, taking a nap with the dog, and taking a walk with your husband.  This break is a time for your to relax and recharge, and you can’t do that if you are running yourself ragged.  You need to be refreshed for the last leg of the school year.  Take care of what is really necessary, and let the rest wait until summer.
   
5. Meal prep like it is a regular week.  Go ahead and prep your snacks at the very least; the last thing you want to have to do is slice strawberries in the middle of your Downton Abbey marathon.  You might be relaxing, but you will still be busy doing it; remember that FAILING to PLAN is PLANNING to FAIL.
6. Find ways other than food to indulge.  Get a message AND/OR a mani-pedi.  Plant some spring flowers.  Splurge on that new salon-quality shampoo that smells AMAZING.  Take a bath, light a candle, and have a glass of wine.  Don’t use your vacation as an excuse to also take a vacation from your diet.
7. Going on vacation?  Make sure you are staying active!  Take your laptop or tablet with you and use Beachbody On Demand to keep up with your workouts.  Get them done in the morning before the fun of the day begins.  Pack snacks that do not need to be refrigerated and your Shakeology to help you stay on track.  Decide in advance what your ONE cheat meal will be, and stay as clean as you can the rest of the time.

Let’s rejoice because SPRING is HERE and WINTER is (nearly) over!  Come out of your shell, shed your old skin, and feel renewed, but don’t have cause to beat yourself up for a backslide.  

What is YOUR spring break plan?

Do you plan to

BE FIERCE?

CLX Week 8 Update and Meal Plan

This past week was so crazy busy, I don't even know where all the time has gone.  I don't feel like I accomplished anything, but I must have - I was constantly doing things!
I was so tired Wednesday after parent teacher conferences on Tuesday that I came home and was in bed by 7 pm.  Needless to say, I missed my workout.  I could beat myself up about it.  I could be mad at myself for not sticking to my schedule.  But I'm not going to do that.  I'm going to pick up where I left off, recommit myself to my goals, and move on.
Same thing for the food; I just ate more than I should have this week.  My willpower is it's weakest when I am tired, and one of the other teachers brought cookies in for us on Friday.  I told her I was breaking up with her (JK, Kirsten!),,, and then I ate two cookies.  Sigh.  Dig in.  Recommit.  Remember my goals.
So I DID finish CLX PUSH this week, which is super-exciting.  I get to move on to the final phase, the LEAN Phase.  Not only will I get three new strength training DVD's but since I have the deluxe program, the cardio and abs workouts are getting mixed up, too.  I have a feeling I'm going to be sore, but in a good way.
This week is yet ANOTHER crazy busy week (are they ever not?), but the upside is that beginning Friday, I am on Spring Break, baby!  I'm so excited.  I love my job, but right now I would also really love ten days to recharge.  I have to get through this week first.  Monday is just nuts; social justice dialogue training with the Equity Team kids, PLC meetings, and the off to the Curriculum Review Committee meeting, which always stresses me out.  Wednesday is parent teacher conferences (again), and then Thursday is the Renaissance Assembly, which means the kids, in addition to being excited about the break, will be whipped into a frenzy because of a shortened class schedule (that's is why they are all taking a quiz, bwahahaha!).  Did I mention that I have about 90 essays to grade before Thursday?  Oh yeah, and grades are due on Tuesday.
Phew.
So anyway, here is the meal plan.  Digging in.  Recommitting.  EATING CLEAN.  (My husband really needs to hide those red velvet cookies... notice they are absent from this meal plan).

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Meal Plan for 3/9
Workout	Lean Circuit 1	Rest Day	Rest Day	Lean Circuit 2	Get Lean Intervals & Extreme Abs	Lean Circuit 3	Fat Burn Challenge & Recharge
Breakfast	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit	Shakeology, almond milk, and frozen fruit
Snack	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey	Strawberries and Greek Yogurt with  a dab of honey
Lunch	Leftover spaghetti and turkey meatballs; salad	Balsamic Chicken and mushrooms; brown rice, veggies, salad	Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage; potatoes	Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage; potatoes	Tacos with Organic Grass Fed Beef; salad	Leftovers	Leftovers
Snack	Apple and peanut butter	Apple and peanut butter	Apple and peanut butter	Apple and peanut butter	Apple and peanut butter	Apple and peanut butter	Apple and peanut butter
Dinner	Balsamic Chicken and mushrooms; brown rice, veggies, salad	Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage; potatoes	Parent Teacher Conferences – leftovers for dinner	Tacos with Organic Grass Fed Beef; salad	Cheat meal – double date night	Leftovers	Steak and crab legs, baked potatoes, salad
Snack	Carrots and hummus	Carrots and hummus	Carrots and hummus	Carrots and hummus	Carrots and hummus	Carrots and hummus	Carrots and hummus

Can I help you learn to make a meal plan?  Let me know!
Until then...
BE FIERCE!