Body Beast Women's Results

Everyone has been asking me how Body Beast is going! Sooo I thought I'd give ya'all an update. 

So if you have no idea what I'm taking about you can watch this little video or check out my post about Body Beast.

Ok so here's the dealio...at first I was super intimidated by the workout. Like kinda freaking out haha But once I got into my groove...I've discovered that 

#1 I really love it 

#2 Sagi is hilarious (not sure if that's intentional which makes it even funnier) 

#3 Sagi is so HANDSOME. he's 40 which is PROOF that muscle = fountain of youth

#4 He's surprisingly motivational. "Whatever it takes" He encourages you to continue with the reps even if you have to drop your weights

#5 I feel SO STRONG!!!! but I STILL have my feminine curves and girly body that I love 

#6 I've learned to let go of the number on the scale. ok so I KNOW that muscle is denser than fat but...ever feel like it's easy to GIVE advice but then when it comes to YOU...you forget all common sense and science and you focus on how you "feel"  Yea, I need to knock that off! haha I'm learning...

I love this illustration. Obviously a pound is a pound, however muscle takes up less space than fat, so if there are two people that weigh the same-one lean and one not so lean, the one with higher body fat % will appear bigger in size.

I'm not gonna lie...I had no idea what a super set, drop set, progressive set or any other "bodybuilder" term meant. Totally ignorant. But now..I feel like I've learned soo much over the last month and a half. I'm pushing myself more and allowing myself to be successful. This might sound a little silly..but even when I did P90X I would stop myself from picking up a heavier weight or pushing myself harder because my brain was telling me I couldn't. 

Your mind gives up before your body does!! After doing the Ultimate Reset and then transitioning into this...I feel like I'm more in tune with my body and actually listening to my body instead of what I THINK I can do. 

Day 35 Body Beast Results 

I currently still have about 45 days to go so I'll keep you posted...but ladies seriously...don't be afraid of this workout. The best part- this is something you can do with your man (without worrying that YOU'll look like a man haha) and you're getting STRONGER FOR LIFE!

I can rearrange the living room by myself if I wanted! Move this couch? No problem! 

Excuse the bathroom mess haha but I'm FINALLY getting those nice round shoulders I've always wanted and toned arms! No bingo arms for me!!!

I should add that this is the meal plan I've been following...although I've cheated A LOT!!! haha so my focus this month is to tighten the reins...log my food intake on Myfitnesspal.com (if you're on there, my name is katiheifner  add me!) but so far so good! 

And yes I take all of the supplements they recommend. I love the Suma Root because I swear it improves my mood. (At least that's what my boyfriend tells me lol)
Although now that we've moved into the next phase Ive stopped taking Fuel shot because it's too many calories but yea....I take Suma Root, protein and creatine and I still drink my Shakeology and take the Beachbody Omegas

Weight Loss Tips: Meal Planning and Prep

A BIG key to success is having a PLAN! Think about it....you wouldn't start your day, go on vacation or show up to a job interview without a plan, right? I used to eat on the go and grab food on the fly...guess where that got me? 20 lbs heavier and feeling pretty crappy about my body.

So think of meal prep and packing your cooler as your PLAN for a HEALTHY BODY! Your biggest obstacle is going to be managing your time so that getting fit and healthy doesn't compete with the rest of your commitments, like taking care of the kids, hubby or spending time with friends!


Believe it or not, prioritizing and planning ahead with actually  make life....dun dun dun...EASIER! Not to mention, it will set you up for success in the long term! It may seem trivial but I promise that its worth it! Having everything ready and packed will be less stressful than leaving your meal choices up to chance and heading to whatever take out joint is near by at mealtime! Helllooo muffin top!


TIPS: Schedule in time on the weekends to buy and prepare your food for the week! SO WORTH IT! A little time in the store and kitchen on Sunday means for the rest of the week you can JUST GRAB AND GO!
***This took me a good 2-3 months to really get a routine down. I actually HATED it at first- I was really resistant to change but once I saw the results...I was hooked!


If you are on the go a lot, pack Cook Free Snacks: raw almonds, protein powder, low-fat string cheese, chopped veggies, fruit, ezekiel bread, hummus etc. You can keep little ziplock baggies of almonds in your car so you ALWAYS have something to grab.


GET YOURSELF A COOLER: 31 sells these amazing coolers that fit your snacks perfectly. I always take them with me! Always pack 1 extra snack than you really need! Pack it the night before and grab and go!!


Sometimes people will give me excuses about the cost of eating healthy. The fact of the matter is...I spend less money now than I did before when I was buying processed crap. I know it's not just in my head because I track my finances on Mint.com (the most amazing site ever). 
But even if it did cost more, aren't you worth the investment?
NO EXCUSES!

Now to the nitty gritty...what should you eat? That's the key right there....EAT! If you starve yourself or even if you unknowingly are not consuming enough, you body will go into starvation mode and hang onto fat for dear life. It might sound counter-intuitive but you need to eat to lose!

Calories are not all created equally. You cannot consume 1900 calories of ice cream and 1900 calories of chicken/rice/veggies and expect to get the same result. Your body needs all of the essential building blocks to keep you body functioning properly and give you energy!

This meal plan is by far one of my absolute favorites. It's about 1900 calories, 210g of carbs, 216 g of protein. 

For me, it's a lot of food! Keeps me full, energized and actually satisfied!

Meal 1
8 eggs whites
1 cup of oatmeal OR 2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 banana or small apple
Glass of Lemon Water (cleanses you naturally) 

Meal 2
6 oz chicken
1 cup brown rice

Meal 3
6 oz chicken
1 sweet potato
Unlimited Green beans or spinach

Meal 4 
Shakeology

Meal 5
6 oz chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
Unlimited Greens

Meal 6
Casein Protein Shake

Soooo I think I'm one of those freaks of nature that can eat the same thing everyday for weeks on end and be perfectly happy. I like the consistency of it and being able to have something I look forward to (I'm counting down until I get to have my Shakeology right now lol) but I get the desire for variety! 

I wanted to show ya'll that just because you are following a meal plan, it doesn't mean you can't spice it up!

The most important thing to remember is to customize it to YOU! Your level of activity, tastes, and how your body reacts to certain foods might be totally different. LISTEN to your body and make adjustments as needed! And another side note: just because Im saying it's ok to change up the meal plan...does NOT mean you should start adding craziness like m&ms to your oatmeal. You know who you are! 

Go shopping! Stick to the outer edges of the store! Buy REAL food!

What I love most about being in a Beachbody Challenge group because it's a great way to stay accountable AND share ideas. Some of these pictures are from my friends in the group- but I just want to illustrate the variety and options you have!  

MEAL 1 Varieties!

Cherries, Egg Whites & Spinach and Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Toast

 

2 Slices Whole Wheat Toast, 1 Banana with cinnamon, Egg whites with Black Pepper

From my girl Nicole Morse- Eggs whites with mushrooms, Whole Wheat toast and blueberries

MEAL 2, 3, 5 Varieties

Chicken, Brown Rice and Brocolli, Mushrooms, Red Peppers

Salmon with Lemon pepper Aparagus & Brocolli

Meal 3- Unlimited Veggies! Mix a little Balsamic, Oil and lemon for your own dressing!

From my girl Nikki,  Baked Cajun Chicken with roasted garlic quinoa and zucchini and asparagus!! 

Amber Gross' Chicken, spinach and sweet potato fries

Grilled Chicken Salad

Salmon, asparagus, & vegan gluten-free couscous!

 

Chicken Salad with wild rice. The chicken salad has roasted chicken from the deli in the grocery store (no skin) almonds, grapes and Grey Poupon's creamy dijon *which has 0 calories or fat* 

Baked Garlic & Herb Tilapia, Brown Rice, Steamed Broccoli & Carrots 

 

Lean Pork Chops with brown rice and yellow squash 

Salmon Salad

Baked Chicken with diced tomatoes, brown rice, and greenbeans

Blackened Salmon with Veggies

SNACK IDEAS

Rice Cakes with Natural Peanut Butter!

Shakeology blended with Strawberries Mmmm!

Shakeology with PB2

Happy Shopping!

Branden Ray's Meal Plan to Get Lean

Ok ok, I admit it. I've been horrible the last couple of weeks. Between the trip to Vegas and traveling across the country...I've slipped up. Not to mention the caramel corn and hot dog from the baseball game lol
Soooo it's time to get serious and lean out back to my natural body weight. I don't focus too much on the scale...in fact, I hardly ever weight myself. I typically go by how my clothes fit and how I feel.
Right now, I'm feeling pretty blah lol You know when you can just feel it in your tummy? Like I have this belly thing right now and my skinny jeans were feelin pretty tight! EEEEKKK! 
Here we go!


What I'm eating this week....


Meal 1
8 eggs whites
1 cup of oatmeal OR 2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 banana or small apple

Glass of Lemon Water (cleanses you naturally) 

Meal 2
6 oz chicken
1 cup brown rice


Meal 3
6 oz chicken
1 sweet potato
Unlimited Green beans or spinach

Meal 4 
Shakeology

Meal 5
6 oz chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
Unlimited Greens

Meal 6
Casein Protein Shake 


Now, some people might think this is a lot of the same thing over and over again...but I actually prefer that. It takes the guess work out of it. It saves you money on your groceries because you can go to Sam's Club and bulk buy your food for the week and HELLLOOO seasonings make everything taste better/different.


One of my favorite go tos is Mrs. Dash! Mmmm mmm good! But buyer beware- check those labels. Some of the varieties actually have a lot of sodium or SUGAR in them.  Yes I know what the???!?! 

Check those labels! You want to make sure you are eating food as nature intended...so stick with one ingredient options. I wish I had a picture and the brands to show you but even something like Frozen Veggies can be deceiving! I was shopping for Green Beans and to my surprise I found a ton of brands that contained salt, sugar and/or other crazy chemicals.
Look for the bag that reads: Ingredients: Green Beans (or whatever veggie it is)

Keep it simple people! 

How to Get a Nice Butt

 Ever wonder how girls get those cute little tight butts? They just make every outfit look cuter and you just feel good about yourself. My butt and thighs were definitely my least favorite part of my body- It's funny looking back because in high school I actually did the whole hoodie around the waist move to hide my hugggeee booty...but now I'm proud to show it off. 
The cool thing about working out...there is a workout for every personality and booty part. You can tone, tighten, and strengthen just about everything and find a way to do it that you actually enjoy! Shocking I know ;)

 For starters, you need to eat right! To get the absolute best results- you need to fuel your body. Ever hear "you can't out train a bad diet" or "abs are made in the kitchen"? Guess what? It's true! 

Just do it! I'm watching you!

Eat your breakfast people! This is usually where people who aren't serious about results will start to give excuses. Remember, every excuse is a choice to fail! It might take a little bit of planning and prep- not only is it worth it...but you'll find that it actually saves you time and stress. You can focus on more important things. 
If you are crazy busy, you need to get a meal replacement shake that you can grab on the go. My pick? Shakeology- quick, easy and by far the healthiest meal of the day. Don't take my word for it...check out the facts and nutrition label. 

My life saver! Get it here

If you need some help with meal planning, here is an example week from my good friend Melanie. She always has awesome stuff on her blog ---->>  http://melaniemitro.blogspot.com/ 

Now, down to business! 

The workout: Stairs

I personally like to workout in the comfort of my own home- but Santa Monica is so beautiful that I'm obligated to get outside and enjoy it =) It's summer so it's the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with a FREE workout routine!

Why Run Stairs?

Besides the fact that it's totally free- running the stairs is amazing for your body because you are working your largest muscle groups, you are working on your breathing, it's a great cardio workout and a great way to clear your mind.

So what do I have to do?

First things first- find some stairs! It could be at a school, office, gym, etc...We picked the Santa Monica Stairs. These things are a beast! The first time I attempted them, I made it up and down twice. Thought I was going to dieeee. It was crazy intense- but just like everything else...it gets easier with time and practice.

Next, grab a friend or some tunes. I need something or someone to keep my mind preoccupied lol It makes it go a lot faster! When you're having fun and grooving- you won't want to stop!

Stretch It Out

I like to jog over to the stairs to warm up my muscles- then you want to take 3-5 minutes to stretch it out. Make sure you get your calves, guadricep, and hamstrings. If all of this is crazy foreign mumbo gumbo, check out this article on stretching from ABC of Fitness. They even include lil pics to show you.

Down to Business

Hop to it! Get started but make sure you go slow at first. Pace yourself- you want to start by getting your heart rate up and the blood flowing. Take nice deep breathes. Once you start to warm up, you can increase your speed. Make sure your shoes are tied! (I'm paranoid about that!)  I always have to stop to think about my breathing- you want to fill your LUNGS not your tummy. Take deep breathes but contract your abs and focus on filling your lungs. 

Use your whole body- engage all of your muscles, not just the legs. Use your arms to help with the movement- keep those elbows in and shoulders down!

Don't go buckwild your first time- you will be sore tomorrow...and probably the next day lol When you are working at such a high intensity- drink tons of water and it really helps to have a recovery drink to repair your muscles. My go to- P90X Results and Recovery. Tastes like a creamsicle =)

 Tone and Tighten

Once you've worked your tail off, you can start your cool down. You're doing to do this for about 5 minutes.This is where you really want to focus on controlled movements. Think about the muscles you are working and then engage them. 

Take two steps at a time to stretch your booty. This takes more effort to raise your feet to the next level. Increase the intensity raising your back leg with a little kick before you bring it up to the next step. 

Tighten and squeeze the booty!

Cool Down & Stretching

Bring your heart rate down. You can down this by simply walking around for a few minutes. Once you feel like your heart rate has come down enough- you can repeat the sequence of stretching you did to start. Keep breathing! Inhale. Exhale. 

You are amazing! Now celebrate with your friends!!! 

Take in the amazing scenery wherever you are- express gratitude for your incredible body and abilities. You are now even stronger than you were!

As you get better- you can run more rounds, run faster (try timing yourself), race your friends, increase the frequency that you go running. But remember to start small!

Even celebs run stairs! Check out Nicole Murphy! She's 45!

If exercising outside is not an option or you like to have more structure and be told exactly what to do- you need to check out my absolute favorite workout program of all time...Brazil Butt Lift

In other news- I love to shop so I just have to share some of my finds! Of course I love Ikea for everything involving storage and organization! I got these awesome little bins for under the sink. 

Out of sight, out of mind 

The mess is contained!

 Then onto my next project- I kept seeing these cute "beach that way" signs on people's houses so of course I had to have one. I checked out Etsy, but everything was kinda pricey for just a little sign.
I found this little guy at Micheal's for $1.49! I slapped on some paint and $4 later had my own cute little beach sign!

The painting and crafty fun didn't stop there...I found little initials and this awesome star. I'm on a blue/green kick right now so I had to paint them. It serves as a cute little decorating AND a reminder for my goal....10 Star Beachbody Diamond Coach. I want to help bring 6 people home this year from their jobs and help them do Beachbody full time like I do=)

 I'm pretty sure TJ Maxx will be the death of me. I went in there just to look and of course walked out $100 later. I did score these cute throw pillows and the best/softest throw blanket ever. Blankets are a MUST around the house- I am ALWAYS cold!!

And lastely, I have to mention my newest addition to the Bombshell family! I am so excited for her to get started!!! She's doing the Ultimate Reset. I have no doubt that not only will she reach her goals but she'll inspire others to take action. Proud to have her on my team!