Shauna's Thoughts: Back To Basics

May has turned out to be a very crazy month for myself. First my Grandmother went into the hospital and I am really the only one here to help visit and bring her clothes and necessities she may need.  Then my husband and I made the decision to move into my Grandma's house in order to prepare her home for her return.  She will also need assistance once she is finally release. Trying to plan and execute my sons 4th birthday party, and try to settle him into the new house. Plus trying to balance my work and Farrell's schedules around all of this has really put my nutrition into a bit a jumble. My weigh-ins at Max Muscle have still been really good even in the chaos, but I know that my nutrition is starting to slip. I have been down this road too many times before, and I don't plan to continue going toward this dark path. So, as life is starting to settle back into normalcy, I am grabbing my ticket to getting back to basics. NUTRITION will be the key!  You can spend hours exercising and working out, but if you don't have your nutrition locked down you will never make progress.

Everyone has bad days, that turn into bad weekends, that turn into bad weeks, or even possibly turn into bad months.  That's life and it happens. We can't beat ourselves up for being human. What we can do is think about how far we have come and get back on track. I'll say it again,  let's get back to basics.  Write down your goals for the next month, break it down into weeks if that helps. Post it somewhere you will see it everyday. Plan your meals for the day or better yet the week! Water water water...this is something I have not been doing enough of. Grab a friend to workout with, friends that sweat together stay together.  Now that it is getting nicer outside get off the couch and do something fun outside with the family!  Do not let one bad meal, one bad weekend, or even one bad week keep you down. You have come to far to let something so tiny smolder your flame. 

Last weeks goals!

So, who is with me? I challenge everyone to write down their goals for the next month. They don't need to be crazy goals, make the goals something you can achieve in a month. Then you won't feel pressured or discouraged and give up.  Some examples could be: Drinking at least 80oz of water a day. Cut back alcohol to one drink a week (better yet no alcohol for 30 days).  Same for soda. Do you have a sweet tooth? Use fruits to satisfy your cravings.  Be dedicated to using your food log... You get the point.  These small little changes  will make a big impact over time!  Make posters, collages, or keep a journal for inspiration. I finally had a few minutes last night to catch up on my Fitness Smash Book.  It helped me gain some much needed motivation by looking at all the progress I have already made.  So remember, if you slipped up or fell off the wagon and you're looking for a sign to get back on track....THIS IS IT! This is your sign.  I will not let you fail, you can do anything you put your mind to. How bad do you want it?

Keep Inspiring  ~Shauna~
 

Weekly Motivation: Don't give up!

Well, Jenni and I continue to have a crazy month of May.  Motivation Monday has just turned into "Weekly Motivation".  Like I mentioned before, on this segment, we want to feature and interview someone who inspires us.  I was finally able to sit down with a wonderful woman named Carol Wisecarver.  She is a role model, an inspiration, and a true legend at our Farrell's location.  After my first kickboxing class with Carol, I knew this lady meant business.  That class is defiantly in my top five of hardest workouts I have done so far!

Carol Wisecarver

In January 2009 Carol saw a commercial on T.V. for a new workout facility in Omaha that was based on cardio kickboxing.  She had taken a few kickboxing classes in the past and decided to check it out.  Little did she know that by taking her first step into the building, she would become an FXB lifer.  Within the first five weeks of her first ten week session, Carol was asked if she would be interested in becoming an instructor.  From there on she was hooked.  Within the next few years she became part owner of the facility, to eventually owning the entire location! She fell in love with Farrell's for what the program does.  It creates a sense of community, instills confidence,  delivers great results, and challenges you to step out of your comfort zone.  While she loved what she was doing for people, by changing their lives and getting them healthy, she realized as an Owner she was starting to only see people as dollar signs.  She didn't like that feeling, so she sold her location to someone who would take just as much pride in the program as she did, and help Farrell's flourish in Omaha. Since then, Carol went back to instructing, and getting to do what she does best, inspiring others!  She is truly someone who cares about the success, and story of everyone she meets. 




Question and Answer Time:

Q: You look amazing.  Have you always been in good shape?
A: No, my family has a history of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.  This doesn't come naturally. 

Finishing the Lincoln 1/2 Marathon

Carol is always on the go, doing lots of different things to stay active.  Hiking, biking, running, and even sky diving.  When she started Farrell's she hated running just like many of us do, but she was focused and determined and she didn't give up.  Running became her therapy to help prepare her for the day ahead or to unwind and reflect on what the day brought.  Carol has done four 1/2 Marathons and it seems like she is always participating in some sort of fun run for the month.



Q: What motivates and inspires you to live such an active lifestyle?
A: My 23 year old Daughter.  I want to there for her and watch her grow in life.  I want to be a good role model for her and show her that we all make mistakes sometimes and that's OK.

Carol, who just turned 50 this year, said her father passed away in his 50's, this is another reason why she stays so active.  I'm going to do whatever she is doing cause I can only hope when I turn 50 I look as amazing as she does!


Q: Food. Tell me about your nutrition.
A: Meal prep is key. I drive to Lincoln every day for work and I have to prep my meals. Everyone knows if I don't get my lunch in, I'm no fun.  I use Fruit to satisfy my sweet cravings.

Working in Lincoln, and living in Omaha makes for a busy day for Carol.  She gets up really early every day and takes/teaches 5 a.m. (and most likely gets a run in I'm sure).  She gets all of her meals ready for her day,  and drives to Lincoln and back.  If she didn't have her lunches and snacks prepped and ready to go, she would fall into bad habits and probably choose more unhealthy options.  She says she likes to prep up grilled chicken, that way she can add it to her salads easily.




Q: Favorite go to snack?
A: Cliff Bars.

Q: What three words best describe you.
A:Focused, Determined, and Content

Q: What would you tell someone who is on the fence about starting a workout program.
A: JUST GET STARTED! Stay commited and DON'T GIVE UP!

I couldn't agree more Carol.  We all have to start somewhere.  If we give up and stop trying, we will never know what could have been.  It will be hard, it will suck sometimes, it will be frustrating, you will have good weeks and bad weeks, but if you don't keep pushing yourself you will just be in the same spot you are in now.  I have so many good motivational quotes for this one... take your pick :)

 

A big thanks to Carol for letting me steal some of her time to talk to her and ask her all of these questions.  Seriously though, Carol is a woman of strength, determination and a true inspiration to anyone who meets her. I don't know how this woman does all she does, but I am so thankful I get to be a part of her energy when she is in class.  Thanks for being awesome Carol!

Keep Inspiring
~Shauna~

Food and Fitness Challenge:

I truly believe that meal preparation/planning is half the battle of changing the way you eat or even view food.  If you plan your meals ahead of time and get it in your head that today you will eat this, this and this and that is all you can eliminate half the junk you might have ate if you didn't plan your meals.

I don't know about you, but there are just some (many) days that when it comes to meal time and I open the cupboards (full of food) I just can't find a single thing to eat, mainly because I'm tired and don't want to cook or prepare it. So the easiest thing to do is grab something from the drive-thru or throw in one of those frozen cardboard pizza's :)..But if my meal was already planned and made I am more likely to eat that (mainly so it doesn't go to waste). It also prevents my little snacking because, when determined, I will stick to my plan and the prep has made that easier.

So here is my challenge to you for the next week. Prepare your meals for the week!! That's right I said the WEEK!!! This will even be a challenge for me because I only prepare them the night before.  I have listed a couple recipies and ideas down below that you can use. 
Remember:          Keep each meal proportioned
                                  Stay within your set nutritional numbers
                                  Food is Fuel (which means it may not always be fun)
                                  Look ahead and plan your meals around your crazy schedule
                                  Stick to your plan

WE CAN DO THIS!!!!

Breakfast (and/or Lunch)

Egg White, Spinach and Ham Quiches

2 c baby spinach

12 egg whites

1 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp black pepper

6 tbsp shredded 2% mozzarella cheese

¾ c diced ham

1. Preheat the oven to 350°, and generously coat 6 jumbo muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook the spinach in a large pan coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until wilted and dark green. Remove from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until light and frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the basil and pepper. Stir in the spinach, cheese, and ham. Divide the egg mixture between the prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, or until set. Cool in the muffin cups for at least 8 minutes before removing.

(76 calories, 2.2g fat, 1g carbohydrate, 12.8g protein - per quiche)

 

What to pack -

1 - Egg White, Spinache and Ham Quiche

1 - Precooked Turkey Sausage Patty

1 - cup strawberry halves

1/2 cup green grapes

(246 calories, 9g fat, 24g carbohydrates, 24g protein)

   you can add more fruit for a few more carbs if you want :)

Pack up 6 of these so they are ready to go for the week!

Dinner (and/or Lunch)

Meatloaf Muffins

1 lb. ground beef (93%)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup oats

1 egg, beaten

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp oregano

1 cup Annies Organic Ketchup

salt/pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for the ketchup, mixing well.

Pack mixture into each of the muffin tin slots.

Bake muffins for 20 minutes or until beef is browned.

Top each muffin with 1 tsp of Annie’s organic ketchup.

Place back into the oven for ten more minutes. Take out and let sit for 10 minutes.

What to pack -

1 - Meatloaf Muffin

1 - cup steamed fresh GreenBeans

1/2 - cup Sugar Free Applesauce

(298 calories, 7g fat, 35g carbohydrates, 21g protein)

Pack up 6 of these!

 

Don't forget to plan snacks as well and LOTS AND LOTS of water (at least 80oz a day)

 

All right! What are you waiting for?  NO better time to start than now!!

 

 

 

 

Fitness:

So this is going to be a simple one today.  But you will need a timer, a pen and a notebook (and maybe even a partner).

When we first started Farrell's we were "tested" on a few things like push ups, sit ups, etc. I was AMAZED at how much my numbers improved in just a few short weeks!  I had gotten so much stronger.  Even though the scale wasn't moving super fast, it was motivating to see the improvements.  So that's what we are doing today. 
Here's what you'll write down:
Number of Push ups in a minute
 (Gals, you can do knee pushups but remember that because that's how you'll have to them each time you test! Guys, Sorry Charlie! Its from your toes only!) :)
Number of Sit ups in a minute
How long can you hold a Plank (straight arm or elbows but remember which one you do)
How fast can you run/walk a mile

If you are not involved in a daily workout program make sure you are doing push ups, situps, and planking EVERY day.  And if possible try running/walking your mile once or twice a week.  I guarantee if you do this you too can be motivated by the results

Good Luck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get by with a little help from my friends...

So your ready to do this.  Your ready to kick those unhealthy habits in the butt and get your "healthy on".  Where the heck do you start? How the heck do you start? As I mentioned before, when I first started losing weight I did so in a very unhealthy way.  Mainly, because I didn't know any different. And also, I had been pretty desperate.  I used to joke about how I may not be doing this right, and it may kill me, but at least I'll die skinny.  What a horrible way to live!!! The one thing I did do right however was my Zumba on Wednesday nights! I did with a group of friends.  This was not only the thing that got me moving in the first place, but made me realize that there was actually an exercise out there that I could do and not hate.  After each class a couple of friends from the class and I would talk for just 15 minutes before leaving about how well I was doing and what I could do differently.  These small little pep talks motivated me into the next day!
I also mentioned that when I started Farrell's, I did so because I friend asked me to.  This really changed our friendship.  Our friendship grew so much in those 10 weeks it was incredible.  Not only did our friendship grow, but we gained a whole new family of friends in our "team".  These are seriously a group of people I would consider some of my closest friends! AND I JUST MET THEM!! What makes this group so special.  They pushed me, motivated me, and held me accountable for every pound, for every bite I took, for every sit up I did, for every class I attended.  Without this group encouraging me I would NOT be where I am today.  I would NOT have the success story that I do. 
So with all that said, the first place to begin is with your friends! Find at least one person who not only has the same "FIT" goals in mind, but is willing to sacrifice the same things you are to achieve that goal.  I am very competitive, which helped me get my butt to the gym every day.  I DID not want the reason I didn't win (which I didn't by the way lol) this competition be because I didn't show up and give my all.  I didn't want to let my team down.  I felt obligated to attend every day and give 100% everyday.  I felt they were counting on me.  I wanted to make them proud.  They consistently told me how proud I was making them.  I believe I did the same for them.  And because of this I worked harder and harder. 
Before I started Farrell's I did workout by myself.  But I would go and hit the elliptical with intentions of going for an hour, but would then crap out at 30 minutes all the time.  One because it was pretty boring and two, no one would know.  Same with the Zumba classes I took.  I would go with the intentions of working as hard as I could, but if I got the slightest bit tired, I'd stop, and I really didn't have anyone there to give me the stare down and tell me to keep moving.  Once I got to know the instructors and regulars a little better this got a little better, but that took awhile. 
I am now doing our workout classes with my husband.  I am so excited about this because I know what this does to relationships. I am excited as to where this will take my relationship with my husband. 
Use your friends.  Help them get motivated to be healthy.  Watch your relationships grow.  Show them that you are not going to give up...not this time :)

Food & Fitness: Abdominals

This week we are shaping up our abs just in time for summer!  It's true abs are made in the kitchen!  Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. We are going to give you some delicious recipes to try, and a killer abdominal workout to go with it.   

The challenge we are going to share is one that we have been doing at our Farrell's locations for a few weeks. Between our 10 week sessions our team needed a little something extra  Thanks to one of our awesome coaches (thanks Jenn) she shared the 300 Abs challenge with us. It's supposed to be the same workout that the cast from the movie 300 did to chisel out their amazing abs...so let's get to it.

  

Some of these are new exercises, so I have pictures on how to execute them...

*I have provided two versions of the Hip lift or Hip dip.  Either way is killer :)

Toe Touch Reverse

Hip lift orHip dips

Russian twistside V-ups

Pictures provided by: workoutlabs.com, hellawella.com, leanitup.com, & womenshealth.com

I challenge everyone to try this abs series every other day for a week and see how you feel! Even better, try to keep it going the entire month! You will be sore, but keep going you CAN DO IT!

You can do all the ab work you want to but unless you have that NUTRITION on point you are basically doing all that work for nothing.  

 

I am often asked "what do you eat in a day"?

As Shauna and I have both mentioned what works for the both of us is eating 6 small meals a day.  I really do my very best to make sure that I eat every three hours.  (I have even set myself a timer on days I know I will be super busy). After a while your body will get used to your schedule and will NEED to eat on that schedule.  So below is an example of what my "food log" might look like for one day.  I do prepare my food/meals and log the night before and try to really stick to what I have planned.  Now Farrell's has given me a good guideline of nutrition numbers to follow.  These numbers have been calculated specifically for me so depending on your size, and body fat percentage yours might be slightly different. Farrell's has some crazy scientific formula that's pretty perfect. :) The guideline I use is 35 carbs per meal and 20 protein per meal.

 

Meal 1: Whey Protein Shake

              Banana

(200 calories, 29g carbohydrates, 21g protein, 1.5g fat)

 

Meal 2: Special K Protein

              Skim Milk

(160 calories, 30g carbohydrates, 18g protein, 2g fat)

 

Meal 3: Chicken Breast (sliced in strips)

              Whole Grain Tortillia

               Lettuce

               Light Mayo

               (With these first four I make a yummy and filling wrap)

               Fresh Green Beans (which I honestly don't put in my count)

               Natural Applesauce (unsweetened)

(311 Calories, 36g of carbohydrates, 24g of protein, 8g of fat)

Meal 4: Quest Bar (My fave is the chocolate peanutbutter)

              V-8 Fustion Drink

(240 Calories, 38g carbohydrates, 20g of protein, 8g of fat)

 

Meal 5: Coconut Chicken Tenders (click on for link to recipe)

              Lettuce Salad with light Italian Dressing (Wishbone)

              1/2 piece of pita bread

(327 calories,  30.7g of Carbohydrates, 30g protein, 9.4g Fat)

 

Meal 6: 2- skim milk cheese sticks

             Triscuits

              12- Raw Almonds

(280 Calories, 26 Carbohydrates, 18g Protein, 15g Fat)

 

This is pretty much what my day looks like, especially a day at work.  Its a very simple and quick combination of food.  To be honest I eat just about the same thing everyday.  Just makes life easier. Of course this isn't perfect.  As you can see some of my meals are missing a few carbs or have too many.  I am still trying to learn the balance myself.  But with these meals and my 80oz of water I am seriously NEVER hungry or really ever crave anything else. 

 

Also, Here is a great Post workout snack (you know, after you get done doing the killer 300 ab workout)

 

These No Bake energy bites are perfect to give you a nice re-boost and satisfy that chocolate craving!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)
• 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs (optional)
• 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extrct

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
3. Makes about 20-25 balls.

(231 Calories, 14.1g fat, 24.6g Carbohydrates, 4.5g protein)

 

 

 

 Enjoy!!! We'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment or subscribe to our blog down at the bottom of this page.

Our page views have been pretty overwhelming.  Shauna and I are so unbelievably thankful that you take a few minutes to read our post. Thanks for all your support!!

              

 

 

Excuses are like ...

Yep, its true! Excuses are like a@&holes, everyone has one. I know, I know, its sounds harsh, but its so true. I, however, am proclaiming myself the queen of excuses! Really! I can come up with some pretty good ones.  I was talking with a coworker the other day about all the excuses I have come up with and I have heard to not eat healthy, to not go to the gym, to not find a fitness program.  Honestly, most the "excuses" are pretty good and valid.  When I invite someone to the try out my program and they tell me the list of things they have going on that day I don't judge them one bit, infact I get exhausted for them.  I completely get it! I think I mentioned in my first post I finally got fed up with myself, I got mad! I finally decided I wasn't going to let myself make one more excuse as to why I chose the large value meal at the fast food joint vs. the chicken breast (without the bread) and a salad. I wanted to feel better more than I wanted the French fries. I wasn't going to let working a 12 hour day stop me from finding time to go to the gym because I was tired.  I wanted to feel better more than I wanted to sleep an extra hour.  I got mad.  I got determined. 
My typical day starts at 3:30am. I get up and get ready for my day (yes, hair and makeup before the gym. Crazy, I know, but makes my morning a bit easier.  Still trying to figure out the best way with all that). My husband and I are at the gym by 4:45am for the 5am class. (Our older son is home with the younger ones while we are gone, in that way we are very lucky that we can do this together)  Our class lasts 45min.  Afterwards, I stay at the gym and try to clean myself up enough to go to work while my husband goes home and gets all our kids up and ready for school.  (God Bless Him, He's pretty great!) I then head to work at 7am for a 12 hour day at the hospital.  I get home about 7:30ish pm.  (I'll talk about my meals at work here in a second) I spend some time catching up with my kids about their day, get them ready for bed and tuck them in.  Then my husband and I do our meal planning for the next day together, pack our lunches up. I shower and go to bed.  I do this routine three times a week (I work 3 - 12's). On the days I don't work obviously my schedule is way easier. No, its not ideal, but it is necessary.  There are so many times I would love to sleep just a bit longer, but I know, for me, if I get out of a routine of going to the gym every day then I will eventually miss two days, then three, then won't go at all.  For now, since this is all still new to me, I guess I just go everyday until I can trust myself to maybe go 5 days a week or even 4.  I don't know.  For now, I make this work.  So, I guess when someone says to me.  I have no time to go to the gym.  I have to take the kids here and there, I have work, I have this commitment and that commitment.  I completely understand (remember I have 4 kids running different directions as well).  There are several 24 hour gyms.  (some I'm not so sure I'd recommend, but they are better than nothing) So when someone says I just don't have time, I always ask, well what are you doing at 4:00am? There really is time. If you want it enough. There is time.  I promise :)
Ok so food... I often get asked what do you eat? I always say "a lot" ,cause seriously I do.  The program that I do suggests that you eat 6 small meals a day.  And so far this has really worked for me.  I seriously am never hungry. I have more energy than I ever have, and I feel great all day long (and some days its a really long day). I know I have a lot of improving to do on my food.  I hate that I am such a picky eater.  I wish that I liked more foods than I do, but I am really trying to change that.  My goal through out my day is to eat as healthy and clean as I can.  The less ingredients on a package the better... The other thing I do is plan my meals.  A lot of my "fit" friends will plan out their week, I sadly, haven't gotten that good yet.  I do mine daily.  Every night, my husband and I figure out our meals for the next day.  What we plan, is what we eat. No more. No less. Farrell's has some crazy scientific formula that individually calculates how much protein and carbs a meal you should have.  I don't know what that formula is, or how they came up with it, or really how even scientific it is, but it works for me and gives me a good guideline.  So, for me, each of my meals contain 35g of carbs and 20g of protein.  I try really hard to eat every 3 to 3 and 1/2 hours (with work it can be tricky sometimes). I do use whey protein shakes and a protein bar almost daily, but my husband doesn't use either.  So, that is pretty much it.  I can get detailed about every meal if you'd like and I have to honest I eat pretty much the same things every day.  Its pretty boring.  But as I said in my first post I now look at food as fuel, not as pleasure.  With this thinking I have found that things taste so much better, because when I do have "cheat" meal (which of course I do) I savor and love each and every bite of that meal.  It tastes so much better and I appreciate it way more than I ever did before because I know it will be awhile before I taste it again. ;)
So, its not easy.  Especially with how crazy life is daily.  But, it is possible to be healthy.  You have to start somewhere.  Shauna sent out a quote one time that said  "Its not easy, Its going to hurt, You are going to want to give up, but you wont! NOT THIS TIME, you are a FIGHTER" I love that.  It is so true.  :)

Shauna's Thoughts: Nutrition

To explain a bit about the blog, Jenni and I have decided that we will be starting off with four posts per week.  

Monday- Motivation Monday

Wednesday - Thoughts by Shauna

Saturday - Food & Fitness

Sunday - Thoughts by Jenni

I wanted to start my first Thoughts segment with a topic I get asked about daily.  "What are you doing to lose weight?"  It's really a two part answer.  I work out 6 days a week, and most importantly I follow my nutrition plan.  In this segment were are going to focus on the Nutrition part.

The reason why I kept going through the vicious weight gain / weight loss cycle is because I had an unhealthy relationship with food.  In my experience I would probably call it a Food Addiction.  It got to the point that I was hiding food and binging.  It would be my day off of work and I would be ready for lunch, so I would just start driving around.  What did I taste for today? I would pull into a fast food place drive around the parking lot with guilt because I knew I shouldn't be doing this.  It didn't matter though, I needed my "drug".  So, I would pull up to  the drive thru and I would order what seemed to be everything.  Just the small size? NOPE I needed the largest of the largest size.  Was one fry enough? NOPE I needed two. Would I like desssert with that? Of course I did, I'll take the order of three cookies (because it really was a deal).  Then I would park the car and I would consume all of the food. I felt like I needed to hide what I was doing.  I would dispose of all the wrappers, cups, and packaging like it was evidence. After my taste buds were satisfied, and my belly was extremely full (sometimes to the point of puking) I would fall into an euphoric state.  This high wouldn't last forever though.  After I snapped back to reality, the guilt would set in all over again.  Why did I just do that?  Why couldn't I just say NO? Why am I hiding what I'm eating? It was seriously like a drug addiction.  

I would compare an addiction to food to any other type of drug/alcohol addicition.  Except, when you have a drug/alcohol addiction they will put you into re-hab, and completely seperate you from your addiction.  You have people there to monitor and watch you, give you medicine to help with withdrawls, give you steps to live by, and offer support.  When you leave re-hab, they will even put you into a sober house to help you further transition into "normal" life.  Once you are done, you have the power to cut off ties yo your past life and make a new life for yourself.  A food addiction however is just plain torture.  Food is something we will use 4 - 6 times a day.  It is on every street corner, in every home, and every store.  We raise it, grow it, sell it, and consume it. Don't you see? We cannot survive without it. 

So how can we even begin this journey with all this temptation around us?  You have to want it.  You have to have the power to say no.  You have to open your eyes to the world of healthy, nutritious food.  You have to find a balance.  Farrell's helped me with this.  They provided me with information based off of my body weight and body fat percentage, then gave me carb and protein numbers to plan my meals.  They didn't provide me with the meal plan it's self, they just gave me the tools to build one.  I had to put the work into it. If I bit it, nibbled it, or drank it, I wrote it down.  I portioned, weighed, and prepped my meals for each week. I knew what I was going to be putting into my body, and I prepared myself for the day.  Even though I work in a restaurant, I took my snacks and lunch to work.  I still had my cheat day...and sometimes it ran into two days, but I was able to get back to the daily grind after the weekend was over.  WHY? Because, it was working.  I was starting to feel better.  I had more energy.  I saw changes in my body, my clothes started fitting again.  Then people started noticing a difference in my apperance.  It wasn't a vicious cycle anymore...I was finally on the right path to a lifestyle change.   

I am not a nutritionist, and I can't give you the carb and protien numbers you should eat for the day, again it's all based off your body.  I would recomend you see a nutritionist or registered dietitian if you are looking for help.  They can provide you with so much information about the why's and how to's of eating healthy and properly for your body. Here are a few changes that worked for me so maybe they can work for you:

1) Make small changes to your diet such as cutting out soda.  Try to limit how many cans or bottles you consume in a week.  Cut back on the fancy coffee drinks (O.K. this one was the hardest for me.  I love Scooter's Coffee so much that I should probably own a building by now because I've spent so much on their delicious coffee concoctions).  Cut out fast food, or make healthier options when you go out for example a side salad instead of fries or no bun on the burger.  Most restaurants carry a nutrition guide for their menus that way you can plan ahead.

2) Start trying new "healthier" foods such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, or ground turkey meat.  I mean seriously you can replace ground turkey for ground beef in any dish. 

3) Drink at least 80 ounces of water each day!  Stay hydrated and full at the same time :)

4) Plan for your day, and keep a food log!  A food log will help you see exactly what you are eating.  Write everything down no matter what it is.  My fitness pal is a great app. to use and keep track of your food.  

5) Try to eat smaller meals thoughout the day to keep your blood sugars from spiking.  I usually eat 5 - 6 meals a day.  This was the hardest thing for me to start, but now I don't even have to think about it.  

6) Read food lables, watch portion sizes, and measure everything you are eating.  You will be amazing at what you think a 1/2 cup of something is vs. what it actually is.  If something is given in a weight then measure the weight first, 1 measured cup of rice can weight very different depending on how much rice you pack into the cup. I have a food scale, measure cups, and table spoons ready at all times.

7) Alcohol = the devil.  Don't do it. Not. Even. Once.

8) Switch out white starches with whole grains and wheat. This is a preference of mine but it fits my new lifestyle plus I like the way it tastes.

9) Eat a good healthy breakfast. ( Dough-nuts do not count as healthy) Take the time in the morning to cook some eggs or some oatmeal. You will appreciate having the fuel to start off the morning and so will your body.

10) Get some sleep.  You body needs proper time to digest, re-charge, and repair itself. Most of us stay up late and watch our shows, I am guilty myself. Just turn off the TV and go to bed. You have plenty of time to catch up on Greys or Nashville some other time.

So thoes are some of my tips that have helped me along my journey, maybe they can help you to.  Like I said before I am not a nutritionist and I haven't researched or read every article, I experiemented and found the right mix to help me fit my new lifestyle.  This isn't a fad diet, this is my new diet. I eat, sleep, and live this new healthy life. I made the changes and so can you.

Best in Health,
Shauna

Welcome to our Blog!

                                                        

Welcome to our blog!  My name is Shauna, I am 29 years old, Married, and I have a handsome 3 year old (soon to be 4!)... oh and 2 Fur babies.  Jenni and I wanted to start this blog as a way to share our weight loss journeys, exchange delicious recipes, work-outs, and maybe just share our thoughts. 

Like many people, I have battled with my weight for years.  I have been a size 4 to a size 18 and everywhere in between. I have starved myself, been on crash diets, fad diets, binged, done it the healthy way, and rode this roller coaster all over again.  Why wasn't anything permanent? Well you see I have (had) an unhealthy relationship with food.  It probably doesn't help that I am a General Manager of a Restaurant.  I have loads of burgers, fried foods, and ice cream at my finger tips.  Sure eating this kind of food every once in a while is fine, but I ate this food every day, multiple times a day. 

December 2014 I was tired of this stupid cycle I was putting myself through.  Looking back to 2013 I had lost 30 lbs. and I was in the best shape that I had been in for a really long time... and I fell off the wagon...again...how many times was I going to do this to myself? So my lovely husband, who, I will mention is a personal trainer...yes I know how crazy that sounds, signed me up for Farrell's Extreme Body Shaping starting January 2015. Farrell's is a 10 week program where you commit yourself to work out for 45 minutes 6 days a week, while keeping your nutrition on point! The person with the best over all before and after picture wins $1,000.00!  Honestly, when he told me this my first reaction was what?! First, how will I be able to go 6 days a week and commit to the same time every day to do so? Second, anything I knew or heard about Farrell's seemed like a crazy group of people trying to get you into this weird fitness cult. I wanted to change though, and I  was ready to anything at this point...even if it meant joining a cult. 

       I could write an entire book on my first 10 week experience at Farrell's, but we still have to get to Jenni's introduction :) so we will save that for another time.  To sum it up, I went to my 4:30 class 6 days a week for 10 weeks, I did ever extra credit challenge my coach told me to do, I ran the mile before class as often as I could (it was winter). I used my 10 week student book and even turned it into a scrap book. I made forever friendships with my fellow 4:30 team, I gained confidence in myself and it helped me with my social anxiety. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone over and over again. I ate to fuel my body (and still had my cheat day).  I wanted to prove to everyone and myself that I wasn't going to give up this time. When we had our 10 week "graduation" party, I went to cheer on my fellow team in hopes one of us would be the lucky winners of that $1,000.00 prize. We all worked so hard, lots of sweat, tears, and transformations happened to all of us in that first 10 weeks. Guess what? I won....I won the $1,000.00 prize.  I was so shocked I froze and started crying.  All the hard work paid off.

 

                                     

         So that's my story in a nut shell.  I drank the Farrell's Kool-aide and I am a lifer. I couldn't imagine my day with out going to my 4:30 class and seeing all of my friends.  It is my drug, my therapy, my competition, and my play time.  Here are my before and after photos from my first 10 weeks.  The thing is, I found what works for me and I found a balance in my nutrition (which is the most important thing of this entire journey).  I started believing in me.  So I hope you like our blog, and yes we will probably talk a lot about Farrell's.  We want to reach out to as many people as possible and inspire others to take a hold of their lives and to start believing that you CAN do it no matter what! Ok enough about me here's the beautiful Jennifer to tell you a little about her!

   Although my weight loss journey started quite sometime ago.  My "fit" journey really just began in January 2015.  The words, don't give up...Not this time... Were said at orientation day at the new fitness program I was about to begin.  A program that would change my life.  A program that I wouldn't give up on... Not this time. 
     So, Let me start from the beginning. First off my name is Jenni, I am a wife and mother of 4 pretty amazing kids. I'm not that gal that has had to deal with weight issues my WHOLE life, but I have been overweight for most of my adult life.  When I was younger I was a gymnast. I wasn't the small boxy things that you see at the Olympics.  I was tall and skinny (yes, 5'5 is tall in the gymnastics world) I wasn't very limber, doing splits and bending crazy ways wasn't my thing either, but I was a powerhouse trickster. I could flip and flop all over the place.  Eventually I realized that no matter how hard I tried I would not be the next Mary Lou Retton.  Plus at 16 there were now more important things in life, like boys! I had always been able to eat whatever I wanted and still maintain my size 3 or 5 and then...came the babies.  I was 20 when I had my first son Dylan, after having him I was pretty shocked at how huge I had become. So I went to eating nothing and exercising several times a day to get back into my skinny jeans.  I finally did it! But by the time I was 23 I was wearing a size 16...and so it began...My struggle to love my body, to love myself.  As I got older and the more children I had the bigger and bigger I became.  Sure I did a few crash diets, fad diets, and starving myself diets here and there, and sure they worked for a few months here and there, but I always went back to my old bad habits (or I just started eating again.).
     In 2014 I really began to get disgusted with myself and how I felt and looked, and even how I was eating. I really really wanted to make a change, but wanted to do it the permanent way.  I wanted to be skinny once and for all, forever. The day that I put my size 20 pants on and busted the zipper out of them was the day I finally got mad enough to do something about it...well kind of.. I went and visited a bariatric surgeon.  At this time I weighed in at 288lbs. (I'm not sure I have ever told anyone that number agh!) We discussed my options.  Came up with a game plan and decided to move forward.  Now with my insurance they required that I have six months of "physician guided" weight loss.  Basically, I need to go see my PCP, step on the scale, lie to him for six months and tell him I have been doing all I can to lose weight but nothing is working.  I did that for the first month.  The second month I decided I would try to lose a pound or two.  I went to what I know worked before, starving myself and moving my body.  Of course it worked. I would only eat 500-1000 calories a day and whatever I ate, I made sure I burned almost all that at the gym.  The weight seemed to melt off.  It was great.  Never mind the fact that I was tired, hungry and grumpy ALL the time. After loosing about 65lbs, the weight stopped coming off. I knew I had to figure something out.  Something different, but wasn't sure what. 
     In January, my beautiful friend Shanon asked me to do this intense 10 week program, Farrells, with her.  It was a bit costly and didn't seem like the type of thing I would be into, but I needed to do something. I was not going back to those size 20 jeans again.  Plus, the 10 week program was a competition. I am super competitive. person.  Like steal candy from a baby competitive.  Bowl you over competitive.  I HATE losing.  Plus it had a $1000 prize! I was in.  We started at the end of January (2015) and I was a little taken back at first.  The program consisted of going to workout 6 days a week for 45 minutes.  3 days a week would be a cardio/kickboxing day.  The other 3 would be strength training (alternating lower and upper body).  Plus I was given how many carbs I could consume per meal and how many proteins I needed to consume per meal. and oh I forgot to mention I had to eat..6...yes...6 meals a day.  So I went from eating hardly anything to 6 meals a day... Ummm no.... I didn't want to gain the weight I had just lost.  Have these people lost their mind.  It totally didn't make any sense how this was going to help me get those rock hard abs.  After two weeks of working out and doing my own nutrition, my way I went in and talked with the managed and my coach about the food.  And in that small crowded office it finally hit me... I finally got it... They threw out phrases like "food is fuel" "food is not the enemy" "food builds muscles"...WHAT??!!! How did I not realize this till now? From that day forward I started paying attention to the ingredients on the packages of things I bought vs. the calorie number.  I started paying attention to how great and clean I was feeling vs. the number that the scale was flashing at me.  My life changed.  I was not only losing weight, and inches, but feeling stronger than I had ever felt before.  I have more energy, I feel good about the food I eat and about the example I am setting for my kids, and friends. 
     Since I began my journey, or I should say since people started seeing a physical change in me they have been asking "what are you doing","what do you eat" "do you ever eat fast food" "do you ever cheat" How do find time"... all those and a tons more and the crazy thing is Shauna and I have found the answer to all these questions.  Farrell's Extreme Body Shaping isn't a magic pill, or fad. They are a life line, they show people how to live.  Had someone told me years ago how great being healthy feels, and how obtainable it is.  I would of done it years ago.  Now both Shauna and I want to shout it from the mountains how great we feel, and that you can feel that way too.  I hope you will find a little hope and inspiration in our stories.  Because, truly if I could do it, so can you, so can anyone.  I had/have the cards stacked against me but with determination, drive and faith I blew that stack of cards over.  I didn't give up... not this time. :)
Jenni