Hammer and Chisel Week 1 Review AND a Chocolate Treat

Let me first begin by telling you all why I’m so excited about this program.  

Muscle burns fat!  It’s a proven fact.  The more muscle our bodies have – the more efficient our metabolism – and this allows us to continue burning fat throughout the day.  AND building lean muscle is the key to changing the shape of our bodies.

So a new workout program that incorporates all three phases of SSP Training is something that I absolutely have to try.  SSP Training includes Stabilization, Strength, and Power to ensure maximum benefits from hardcore resistance training.  Every single muscle in our body is worked with this program!  We have 2 trainers with years of lifting expertise who worked together to create effective – yet simple – exercises to work every part of our bodies with 12 different workouts.  

Nutrition is also simplified with this program.  This is another reason that I love comprehensive programs and why I’m such an advocate for our programs.  The portion system from 21 Day Fix is used to ensure that any goal can be reached.  If you want to lean out – sculpt & maintain weight – or build muscle this program will give you the nutrition guidance specific for your goals.

I want to share with you that I was a little intimidated by this program because of the HUGELY muscular co-creator who could probably bench press me without even flinching.  I wasn’t sure that this would be a good fit for me and I’ve been nervous to begin it since I purchased it in December.  But I’m SO glad that I gave it a go!

Now on to my first week of the program.  It was hard – it challenged my strength and endurance.  But I’ve pushed myself with the amount of weight I’m lifting because I know that change happens when we push ourselves.  All of the workouts have been fun and the time goes fast because there is such a good variety of moves to keep it interesting.  The workouts average 30 to 40 minutes and each has a modifier to show a less advanced option for each move.

And yes – this program will be wonderful for men AND women.  Muscle is healthy for both of us!  We’ve already discussed that weight training burns more fat by boosting metabolism and changes the shape of our body.  Lifting weights also strengthens our hearts – lowers blood pressure – helps prevent diabetes – helps decrease cholesterol – gives us feel good endorphins and strengthens our bones.  In other words why wouldn’t we lift weights!

Now – on to the Chocolate Superfood Treat!
Ingredients:
2 scoops chocolate Shakeology (or protein powder)
½ cup all-natural almond butter
Drizzle of honey
Sunflower seeds
Chopped pecans
Unsweetened almond milk
1 cup old-fashioned oats (OPTIONAL) – I didn’t use the oatmeal tonight

Directions:
Combine all ingredients – add drizzle of almond milk until it reaches the consistency that you prefer.  Roll into balls.  Refrigerate and enjoy!
This recipe makes about 8 balls.

Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups!

This is absolutely the healthiest and tastiest chocolate dessert that you will ever eat!  Quite often I use Shakeology to make "desserts" that are healthy yet still satisfy my desire for a treat.  This is one of my favorites.

 Shakeology Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
1 to 2 tbsp coconut oil - melted
1 tsp (or so) all natural peanut butter OR almond butter

Directions:

1. Mix Shakeology with coconut oil.  

2. Pour small amount into 2 paper cupcake liners (enough to cover bottom).  

3. Refrigerate for 10 minutes until firm.  

4. Then spoon almond butter into center of each cup.  

5. Pour remaining Shakeology mixture over almond butter to cover completely.  

6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.  

7. Then ENJOY!!

I've been drinking (or eating!) Shakeology EVERY DAY for over 2 years now - and will not go a day without it. Shakeology is a combination of the BEST ingredients from across the globe working synergistically to give us the maximum benefit in the most convenient form.  It is all-natural, has no preservatives and nothing artificial.  The ingredients are truly pure and from the best sources to provide superior nutrition in a convenient form.

If you're curious about Shakeology, email me at kristingator@gmail.com or complete the form below and I will answer all your questions.

I Was That Girl

I was that girl.  The one who worried about everything and never felt comfortable anywhere.  I was the one who always felt like I didn’t know enough – hadn’t done enough – and wasn’t good enough.  I survived college – earned a Doctorate of Pharmacy – but still didn’t feel good enough.  Then I began my career but the doubts didn’t disappear – they only grew into different and stronger doubts.  
Life continued on this path until I finally reached the tipping point.  
I began to have a mindset shift.  
I took control of my health and my life.  
This tipping point was a little over 2 years ago. 

Taking control of my health and nutrition came first.  

I distinctly remember the night that I decided enough was enough.  The night that I decided I was important and I had to change.  I was up late watching a workout infomercial and reading a motivational blog post that seemed to be written specifically for me.  I knew that I had to start taking care of myself and needed to make changes to my nutrition to become healthier.  That was over 2 years ago.  That decision was one of the most important of my life.  I knew that I wanted to change more than I wanted to stay the same.  And it was time to make it happen.  This was when my journey began when I finally had enough.

All of my adult life I’ve exercised regularly and ate “healthy”.  I even put myself on a few “diets” to try and loose weight.  But those “healthy” foods consisted of low-fat/no-fat/lite/reduced calorie/processed junk that was marketed as healthy.  

The changes began to happen when I learned about actually eating clean and healthy foods with dense nutrition.  I was tired of being tired.  I was tired of using snacks & drinks loaded with sugar to make it through my afternoons at work.  I was tired of feeling run down from the sugar crashes and having severe fluctuating blood sugar.  I was tired of not seeing results from all the hard workouts that I had been doing.  I was tired of not being comfortable in my clothes and not being confident about my body.  I was tired of not having enough confidence in myself to make changes.

My nutrition became a priority for me and I learned how good I could feel when I fueled my body with clean, healthy, unprocessed foods.  Shakeology was my first step and became a non-negotiable for me every day.  This gave me dense nutrition loaded with vitamins, minerals, superfoods, antioxidants & protein each day.  Then I began to learn about nutrition and the power of clean eating with Tosca Reno's book.  I stopped eating so many processed foods.  Then I eventually cut out almost all processed foods (just an occasional treat here & there).  Then I started a simple, ingenious portion control system that taught me how to eat healthy - the 21 Day Fix system.  I now use a combination of the 21 Day Fix, PiYo meal plan and Tosca's Clean Eating principles.  This works for me and helps me maintain my weight.

Taking control of my life came second.   During my own journey I made another life-changing decision to become a Beachbody Coach.  This was the second tipping point in my life when I found my passion for helping others create their own success stories.  Helping others create success stories of health - success stories of fitness - success stories of enjoying life.  Together we are learning that we are each wonderful in our own way and we are each strong in our own way.

It was at this point that those 2 decisions – to take control of my health and my life – came together to completely change my life, change my mindset and change my perspective.  I learned about the power of sharing my journey, my successes and my struggles.  I’ve learned about the power of personal development and continually striving to be better.  I’m inviting others to join me and create their own success stories.  We’re creating a family of like-minded health seekers who support each other, motivate each other, and inspire each other.  Together we are becoming healthier and stronger both physically and emotionally.  This is much more than a workout program and a bag of powder.

NOW I am about 40 pounds lighter with more energy and feeling healthier than ever.  I drink Shakeology each day and eat clean about 90% of the time.  My blood sugar is stable because I’ve learned the importance of eating to fuel my body.  All of my cholesterol numbers have improved, my blood pressure is better and my BMI has decreased.  These improvements are because of Shakeology each day, clean eating each day and exercise each day.  That’s the magic formula, simple as that.  One step at the time, one healthy meal at the time and one workout at the time.  When we combine these daily habits with the support and encouragement from others, we become unstoppable and absolutely successful.  Together we are getting stronger every day!

This is where my story gets good!  This is where it gets exciting!  My personal passion for health and fitness has aligned perfectly with my passion to help others feel healthier and be healthier.  I have found the perfect platform to help inspire others to begin their journey as I continue my own.  I have found what I am meant to do!

I'm a pharmacist on a mission to be healthy and help others find their own healthy.  I’m on a mission to spread the power of prevention.  It all starts with taking care of ourselves in an effort to prevent disease.  It's not one size fits all, but together we will find what works for you.  We all have our own version of what healthy means.   

Together we are stronger – together we will succeed!

Are you ready to create your own success story?
I’m inviting you to be a part of this!  

I’m inviting you to take control of your health and fitness in my next online accountability group beginning on the 25th as a challenger.  You will be plugged into a private group for daily support – encouragement – motivation – accountability – recipes – meal plans and much more!

OR – If you’re ready…

I’m inviting you to take control of your health & fitness WHILE inspiring others to do the same.  I’ve created Team Rx Health with the vision of the most inspiring and supportive community that allows you to thrive as a Coach.  As a Coach on Team Rx Health – I will work together with you to ensure you’re successful and I will teach you all that I’m learning along the way.  Together we will encourage and motivate others to be successful with their own goals.

Fill out the questionnaire below and I will be in touch!

Wrapping Up an Exciting Weekend AND Big Plans This Week!

This weekend has been SO much fun for me! 

Yesterday Burney and I traveled to Tampa for our quarterly meeting with about 400 other Beachbody Coaches from the area.  The energy at these events is INFECTIOUS and it’s so exciting to be surrounded by so many other Coaches who are sharing their health and fitness journeys while helping so many others.  One Coach shared his journey with us – he’s a teacher and is in his 60’s and was in horrible shape (he admitted that!).  He began using our 21 Day Fix program and changing his life with better nutrition (along with Shakeology) AND exercise last year after an eye-opening appointment with his doctor.  Now – he has seen amazing changes in his labwork – his cholesterol and A1c are significantly lower and he’s taking less medication.  And he continues to reach his goals of being healthier.  His success inspired him to become a Coach about one month ago – he’s ready to share this with everyone!  

As a pharmacist – this transformation story makes me SO VERY EXCITED for him.  I know that medication is not the answer to everything – health begins with us.  We CAN prevent and control some diseases with healthy nutrition and exercise.  Seeing his crying on stage because of pure happiness - in front of 400 strangers - was heartwarming and inspiring!  

His story and so many of my own challengers’ stories remind me that ANYONE can also take control of their own health in the same way.   

As a health and fitness Coach – each day I have the amazing privilege of watching people set goals – reach goals – get healthier – eat healthier – exercise regularly – set more goals and reach even more goals!  EVERY DAY I’m inspired by the amazing people who’ve allowed me to help coach them on their journeys.

I will begin another new group this month on the 25th if you’re ready to begin your journey – I’m ready to help!  There is a questionnaire at the bottom of this post for you to complete – then I will be in touch and we will get started!

NOW – on to THIS week!

I’m going to begin exercise again on Tuesday!  And I’m back to work on Wednesday!  My 7 days of rest will wrap up tomorrow – my ribs are healing as well as can be expected :-)  and I know now not to push myself too hard with weights for at least another week or so.  And I have to tell you that Burney did not think I would rest for 7 days – it’s a little fun to prove him wrong!

I’ve made my meal plan for the new week along with my workout schedule.  I will begin by walking Tuesday and add modified PiYo beginning Wednesday.  And I CAN’T WAIT to get back to it!  I’ve missed the pure joy of exercise.  It’s the perfect stress reliever – helps keep me focused – and helps to relax me – all while keeping me healthier.

This is my meal plan for this week – I keep my meal plans uncomplicated and tend to eat the same foods for breakfast (Shakeology of course!) and snacks.  That keeps it simple and it’s less that I have to think about.  On the days that I work – because I’m working until 8 PM – I choose foods that Burney can cook easily or we have leftovers those nights.  

Don’t forget that I have a free 7 day Clean Eating FIX group beginning tomorrow – there is still time to be added into that group!  I will share the basics of clean eating & the principles of clean eating – meal planning tips – actual meal plans including recipes – and more!  You can complete the questionnaire below – I will be in touch – and we’ll get you added into the group.

Why We Should Water Our Bodies More!

We all know that it is important to drink water every day – but you might not realize all of the benefits that water provides to our bodies.  Our bodies are composed of about 60% water.  The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients and maintenance of body temperature.

Not drinking enough water is the main culprit of fluid retention!  Drinking more water ensures that our liver and kidney are functioning properly to flush out toxins and waste products.

A few of the MANY benefits of water:

1.   Helps to maintain healthy body weight by helping organs function properly thus increasing metabolism.  Water also reduces hunger – why wouldn’t you drink more water – it’s a natural appetite suppressant.  Water also helps keep our metabolism functioning at its best.

2.  Increased water leads to increased energy levels.  The most common cause of daytime fatigue and weakness is mild dehydration.

3. Water is essential for our bodies to digest foods and prevents constipation.  I counsel many patients at the pharmacy about the link between dehydration and constipation.  We should all strive to drink more water.

4. Water naturally moisturizes our skin by hydrating skin cells and plumping them up.  Water helps to flush impurities and improves blood flow helping skin to glow.

5. 70%-80% of our brain tissue is water.  If you are dehydrated, your body and mind are put under internal stress which can lead to lack of concentration and feeling foggy.

6. Water helps to build muscle tone.  Drinking water helps prevent muscle cramping lubricates joints and aids in muscle recovery.  Water helps to keep muscles more elastic.  When our cells don’t contain the correct balance of fluids and electrolytes, the cells shrivel which can lead to muscle fatigue.

7. Dehydration can lead to headaches – even mild dehydration can contribute to a headache.

8. Water supports kidney and liver function allowing these organs to flush toxins from body.  

9. Water helps carry nutrients and oxygen to cells within the body.

10. Water helps with fluid retention – more water helps the body rid itself of excess sodium which results in less fluid retention.

Remember that if you feel thirsty, you are already slightly dehydrated.  There are many recommendations of the amount of water we should drink each day but you should be drinking at least 9 to 12 glasses of water per day. 

The best recommendation is to take our body weight, divided in half and this is the number of ounces that we should drink each day.  And the more active you are, the more water you should be drinking every day.

If you don't care for the taste of plain water - infuse your water with fruits and vegetables to give it more flavor AND you will absorb some of the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables. 

Also talk to your pharmacist or doctor about your medications because there are many medications that can cause increased thirst.

Hammer & Chisel Week 1 and Meal Plan

Happy New Year everyone!  I don’t know about you all – but I’m excited to be back to a normal week with my normal routine!  And I’m excited to have home cooked meals scheduled for most of the week.  My nutrition hasn’t been perfect over the last month and I’ve had more treats than I care to mention!

This will be my meal plan for this week.  I will be using Plan B from Hammer & Chisel because my goal is to lean out while still building muscle.

Tomorrow I begin three very exciting things!

1. My new program: Hammer & Chisel – this is going to be a game changer for me.  The “good-bye” pictures & measurements have been taken and I’m ready to begin!

Hammer & Chisel is the brand new program created by two wonderful trainers.  It’s a new resistance training system that incorporates three muscle-sculpting phases: stabilization – strength – power. 

And I’m ready to build a little muscle and lean out more.  I watched tomorrow’s workout and it’s going to be FUN – HARD – EXCITING – and I can’t wait.

2. Our New Year – Stronger You Challenge!  

Hosting monthly challenge groups are the most fun for me because I get to share my passion for health and fitness while encouraging and motivating others to succeed with their own goals.

I’m going to be a Coach AND a challenger in this group.  I feel like I’m going to need all the motivation I can get to stay on track with my nutrition and workouts.

{{{{ It's NOT TOO LATE to be a part of this newest challenge group!  I will help you find the perfect program to fit your goals and you can get started!  Fill out the form below and I will be in touch. }}}}

3. My first experience with workout supplements!  I’m going to start the Beachbody Performance Line to help me have energy for the workouts – stay hydrated – and to help my muscles recover and rebuild.  This is new and exciting for me!

So this week is going to be wonderful!  

And at the end of the week I will be attending an event with a few hundred other Beachbody coaches -- so I have to get back on track to be feeling my best for all of the fun!