Morning of Day 3 of Shakeology cleanse

The first photo was taken the evening of the first day of the cleanse. At that time of day I had already lost 2 lbs since the day before!

The second photo was taken the morning of the second day of the cleanse. Since the day before the cleanse I had already lost 5pbs! 

The third picture was taken this morning, and I'm shocked and excited at the total I've lost! A total of 6.5 lbs since before I began the cleanse! 

Now I do plan on taken a 3rd photo tomorrow morning because I personally feel that is the most accurate weight lost because we want to a see the effects of the full three days of cleansing. 

                     Stay tuned!

Shakeology 3 day cleanse - Day 1

My boyfriend and I decided we were fed up with our excess weight gain after our vacation late July. So we decided to go on a 3 day cleanse beginning 8/15/14.

My starting weight on Thursday 8/14/14 was *gasp* a whopping 132 lbs! A weight I hadn't been at since before I had my son! My goal weight range (without looking sickly) is 120-124 lbs. That's almost a 10lb difference. Sheeeesh!

Friday 8/15/14, my weight had dropped already 3lbs to 129.2.

This morning, before breakfast I weighed in at 127.4. That's a total lost in 2 days of 4.6 lbs!!  I mean I've lost that much in a week, but in 2 days?? That's amazing!

It's definitely not easy folks, but remember you are feeding yourself a lower amount of calories to create homeostasis (balancing out your body).

The purpose of this cleanse is to feed your body a sufficient amount of nutrients in the smallest number of calories. You will naturally flush out excess junk from your body built up from bad foods.

Stay tuned to days 2 and 3! 

Comment below or email me today if you'd like to try the 3 day Shakeology cleanse! 

Begreatmotivate@beachbodycoach.com

Shakeology.com/begreatmotivate

Why do I need flexibility training?

Firstly, I'd like to remind you that it is equally important to incorporate cardio, strength AND flexibility or coordination training into your workout program. Try to find an even belance between the three.

   The benefits of flexibility or coordination training 

Have you ever felt really stiff? Yes , yes when we get older we tend to get stiff. For example when you are sitting for a long period of time then stand up you sometimes get stiff legs or stiff back. Instintivley your body will make you want to stretch, right?! EXACTLY! But when you're already stretching often, it makes your joints healthier by becoming more flexible which in turn helps prevent the risk of injury to the joints. You're providing your body with more flexibility to the joints by increasing the amount of synovial fluid. And stretching helps decrease the degeneration of your joints. Lets protect those precious knees! Do you have lower back pain? Try stretching! When you increase the flexibility in your quadraceps and hamstrings (those are the some of the biggest muscles in the body, the front thigh and back of your thighs) it helps relax your back muscles which eases back pain. Ta da! I mentioned getting stiff and getting older, well if you stretch consistently now when you're young, you'll be more flexible as you get older to be able to move around. Being more flexible can also improve your posture when sitting which not only helps your spine but makes you look thinner too when you sit up straight. 

But I heard flexibility is important for lifting weights too? Flexibility increases your range of motion which will in turn allow you to have proper form to lift heavy weights.

Remember, it's about finding a balance between the three : cardio, strength training and flexibility. If you want to become an athlete, you already know you sometimes have to do what you don't enjoy to get where you want to go. 

NO MORE EXCUSES!

I am big into fitness and health. I am a promoter of living a happy and healthy life. My passion and life goal is to touch as many lives as possible by showing them or introducing them to the world of fitness and healthy eating.

I used to be that girl that came home after work and plopped myself on the couch and watched tv all night until I went to bed. I used to think that was the normal thing to do. Yea I had a good job, no financial struggle, no relationship trouble. Everything seemed to be going hunky dory. But the one thing (as I look back) that wasn't going well was my health. When you're in your 20's you don't tend to think about diseases or sickness, but I knew I wasn't treating my body right because of the shape I was in.


I was eating anything I wanted with no regard to the consequences. I wasn't working out or doing anything physical. Because I wasn't taught by my parents the importance of eating healthy. Nor was I taught by society that I should choose certain types of foods. Yes there were articles and books and people mentioning that exercise and eating right was the way to do it, but there was nobody out there to PUSH ME!

And I know there are people out there (maybe you reading this) that knows in the back of their head that they should be making a change. Or maybe they tell themselves that they're still young, they still have time. Or maybe they tell themselves that getting fat will never happen to them. Or maybe they say that they eat healthy enough, they don't have to change. Or maybe they just don't know where to start (like I did)!

You know what all those are? The are nothing but EXCUSES!!!!!! Well excuses are for people who aren't successful. People who walk aimlessly in life and don't plan ahead. You don't spend all the money in your account on something lavish and not pay your bills right? Because you know the consequence is getting the lights shut off  or car taken away from you etc. Same thing goes for your health. Calories are like money. Each time you move your body, you buy yourself more calories to eat.

I cannot make the decision for you to start, but once you decide I can help push you along the way.

START TODAY! And I can show you how :) You don't have to do this alone. There are thousands of other people just like you who want to make a change but need a little nudge.

Comment below or email me at adrianneoconnor@yahoo.com BE A HAPPIER HEALTHIER YOU TODAY !

What kind of foods should be on my plate?

Of course we all know eating healthy is the right way to go, but what kinds of foods should be on our plate?

I'll start by saying that the portions you see served in most American restaurants provide an average person half their entire daily calorie intake. So keep in mind that it is always okay to have leftovers. If it's tough for you to stop and put the fork down, make a conscious decision to ask the waiter or waitress to put half your plate in a doggie bag before you are even served. Don't worry about what your family or friends think, this is your body so do what it takes to reach your goal.

Now, let's move on to what should be on your plate. Remember in school when they taught us the different food groups. There's grains and starches, vegetables and fruits, meats and dairy.

The proportions are simple: 1/4 plate starches, 1/4 plate protein and 1/2 plate of veggies or fruits. Whats not pictured is dairy, but we'll talk about that later.

Most American plates (and I'll continue to refer to restaurants because that is what society has taught us) focus on the meat! Does anyone remember the Wendy's commercial "Wheres the beef!" ?

 I mean there was no way the burger patty was really that small to begin with. Don't get me started on hamburgers because that's way too many carbohydrates for on meal as it is! But then again at least most places put on lettuce and tomatoes on their burgers. (Ehhhemmm McDonald's what happened to your happy meals huh??)

When thinking of protein, think of this part of your plate as the main source of energy for your body to run its daily course. Make sure the meat you choose is lean (meaning with little or no fat). Protein comes in all varieties so don't think of food as boring! There are many different fish or seafood (salmon, tuna) , poultry (turkey)  plus beans (black beans, kidney beans) and peas (chickpeas, green peas) have protein. Not to mention the huge variety of nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts)  and seeds (sunflower). When having peanut butter, make sure you choose the 100% natural spread.

Now the other 1/4 of your plate should consist of grains or starches. Your grains should be 100% whole. The first thing most people think of is bread, but there are so many types of starches that can be included in your meal like brown rice, wild rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat wraps,  quinoa oats.  There are also tons of healthy cereals out there that have whole grain listed. Just be sure to look for the "whole grain" as the first ingredient.

Last but not least, 1/4 of your plate should consist of vegetables. Try to choose from a variety of colors. You may or may have not heard of putting a rainbow on your plate or eating a rainbow. (and no I'm not talking skittles!!).

I've heard before that you want to shop mostly on the outside of the grocery store or supermarket. So when you get to the vegetable section, make sure you choose a variety of colors! Why not? Rainbows make people happy :)  There is no mention above about fruits, but since this is the biggest part of the plate you should include fruits as well. Children usually have an easier time eating fruit over vegetables, but make sure to aim for less the portion size of veggies on your plate. Although fruits are healthy, they also contain natural sugars and too much of a good thing can actually be bad.  To ensure you are eating a well balanced diet, be sure to have the recommended daily allowance of up to 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of veggies per day.

Dairy can be added as a small extra to your plate as a tasty topping like low-fat or skim milk cheese. Small amounts of butter just for taste is okay. Yogurt can also be used as a cooking ingredient or on the side as a healthy dessert. Dairy products should be limited on your plate however milk is a great way to get your calcium although calcium can be found in other foods if you don't like the taste of regular cow's milk.

Yea yea yea I know what you're thinking, this is too much to think about! True, and I agree wholeheartedly, but anything worth having takes effort. You already make the effort to bathe everyday to wash off the dirt and prevent sickness. You already make the effort to brush your teeth to prevent tooth decay along with tons of other reasons you should brush your teeth.  Make the effort to put on your plate what your body needs to to function properly and to prevent sickness and disease, you deserve it! Whether you are cooking for yourself or being served at a restaurant, remember these tips for eating a well balanced diet for a long healthy life.

Save time....make your meals in advance!

I'm a big believer in the saying "In order to see a change you must make a change." And lately I just haven't been seeing the change I'm looking for in my body.

Giving up is too easy and gosh darn it I like challenges! So I thought to myself, working out is easy. I can keep doing it everyday even on days I don't want to. The real challenge for me (and for most people!) is the eating right.

Some people tend to eat either less or more when stressed. I eat more!! But like I tell my clients, it's simply counterproductive so don't do it!! 

But it's hard, they tell me. And trust me I agree wholeheartedly.

Yesterday I went to the grocery store (not hungry of course) but I made a list like I always do. I took my ChaLean Extreme recipe guide and picked out the healthiest and least ingredient meals I could find.

When I got home I cooked four chicken breasts and turned them into five different meals! A couple different salads and two chicken, grilled veggie and brown rice and a chicken wrap.

Yes I spent close to two hours in the kitchen but imagine all the time I saved the rest of the week? 

Now all I have to do is pop my head in the fridge and pick out what I wanna eat! 

I've prepared meals when I'm NOT hungry which will keep me from overrating plus I've saved myself money and time! There's no better reason to pre-make your meals! 

Stay away from the chocolate!!

Yep! I'm a chocoholic! 

It's strange because my son who's 7 doesn't like chocolate. He received tons of candy yesterday with his little Valentines cards from school. They sit there yelling at me, torchering me with their promise of sugary goodness on my tongue. Oh the aroma of sweetness fills my nose! I can't stand it anymore, IVE GOT TO HAVE SOME!!

Okay so I did give in. But the best part is that it's okay. It's okay to celebrate a little fun on such a fun holiday. 

The problem with folks is that they tend to lose sight of there goals. We all do it. That voice in our heads tells us "Hey! I cheated on my goal once and I didn't gain a million pounds, one more time won't hurt." .......or will it?

If you're reading this, most likely you already have goals or you're in the process of setting some. Either way I don't have to tell you that you're going to gain a lot of weight in a day. What I'm trying to tell you is that those small sugary treats from valentines day are just that...TREATS! 

Today is the day to keep moving forward and remember that what you put in your body today will reflect ON your body tomorrow. 

Be great, and motivate others!