21 Days, Happy September and Happy Birthday to Me!

September has always been kind of a big deal in my house.

The end of summer. The start of a new school year (including new school supplies!) AND it's my birthday month. Yay!

The number 21 is also kind of awesome. Not only is it my birthday day but it has been instilled in my head by many of the bosses I have had that it takes 21 days to make a habit. 21 days....3 weeks...to the breaking of old habits and the starting of bright and shiny new ones. I don't know if I necessarily agree with that mantra but I do know that awesome things can happen in 21 days.

In March, we launched a little program called the 21 Day Fix. It kind of exploded. It was the program everyone seemed to want to get their hands on and for good reason.

And imagine my excitement when I found out it is on sale for the month of September.

Because it isn't just a workout program. It is a foolproof nutrition program. Portion sized containers. No measuring. No counting calories. If it fits in the container, you eat it. Easy.  (For more info on the 21 Day Fix click here.) The containers. I LOVE the containers.

So to celebrate this month and this awesome program I am going to be hosting a brand new health and fitness accountability group starting September 29th.


PLUS if you sign up with me as your free coach this month you will be entered to win one of my favorite, super awesome, can't live without it, 30 day supply of awesomeness. And yes it is that good.

Moms, Margaritas and the Official Start of Summer

May is here and while we survived the national day of drinking margaritas and eating tacos pretending we might actually know what Cinco De Mayo signifies, there are so many more things to come. Mothers' Day, the opening of pools, barbecues, warm summer nights with lighting brought to you by the glow of lightning bugs....Summer is my favorite time of year. Cheer camp, sunshine all day, nights where it is warm enough to sit outside, the fact that it stays light out until nine o'clock!  I could keep going and going.....

But there are also some things about summer that can be scary....bathing suits, shorts, short skirts, ice cream and let's be honest when we talk about the food choices at most summer get togethers. It is typically not filled with the best options when it comes to your waistline. But there is a way to navigate these summer parties unscathed (and trust me, your shorts will thank you) and it all boils down to holding yourself accountable.

Over the last year, I have found the best way to hold myself accountable is to get into a challenge group! Everyone involved keeps me in check. We hold each other to what we promised and that is helping eachother reach our goals.  Friendships have been formed and some of the ladies from my very first challenge group are still there, keeping me in check.

I totally didn't believe in the power of an online group to do much of anything (other than annoy me) but I needed something. And much to my chagrin, it worked. I not only found the key to my success but some pretty cool people along the way. (To read more about challenge groups click here.)

So this is what I have happening for May (and early June)

May 19th Clean Eating Bootcamp:

I am starting a FREE clean eating bootcamp. Yes this is totally free but I need your dedication and participation for 21 Days. You need to commit to showing up and I will give you:

• Meal planning strategies
• Recipes
• Eating out strategies
• Support and accountability

Shakeology is not required for the group but I highly recommend it. It is the one meal I don't have to think about everyday. It gives me the energy I need to keep up with my kiddo and I know my body is getting the nutrition it needs. It makes my life just that much simpler. (And simple is good.) To read more about how shakeology has impacted my life and dietary habits click here.

To join this group sign up for a free account here and request membership to the group! 

June 2nd  60 Day Summer Slim Down Challenge:

This is going to be more of a traditional challenge group. We will eat clean. We will workout. We will get some killer results. 

So this is what you get:

• Meal planning strategies
• Recipes
• Eating out strategies
• Support and accountability
• Daily motivation
• One on one support from me (I will not let you slip through the cracks!)
• Results

If you show up every day and give it all you've got I promise you that you will see real results. Both on the scale and off the scale. 

Shakeology is a requirement for this group. Why is it required? Because not only is it the one thing I don't have to think about and plan during hectic and crazy mornings. It is totally portable (I always bring it on vacation with me...one less meal to buy!) and fast. It gives me the nutrition I need, helps control my cravings and really keeps me on track. You can read more about why I drink shakeology daily here.

To reserve your spot in either of these groups fill out the application here.

Happy May! 

Is Winter Over yet? (and The 60 day Sizzling for Summer Challenge)

Summer is 80 days away. With the snow this weekend and the way the temps have been in general, this seems really hard to believe. But I am holding out hope that summer will actually get here. (Sunshine and 60 degrees yesterday helped. But if it snows or gets below freezing again I might actually cry.)

So I am choosing to focus on the sun and awesomeness that is bound to get here sooner or later. And with that comes super cute dresses, flirty skirts, and tank tops (and the need to get some killer arms for those tank tops and sleeveless dresses.) To make this happen and hold myself accountable (even while driving across the country with a 3 year old and 2 overly excited dogs) I am gearing up for another 60 day challenge, this one appropriately named the Sizzling for Summer challenge.

We are going to get started on April 14th and from there on out we will be checking into a closed Facebook group AND have each other to lean on for support, accountability and the occasional kick in the pants (if needed.)

So here is my challenge for you:

60 days. A closed Facebook group dedicated to working hard. Committed to each other through all of it. Even what I like to call the middle of the program slump-- where the excitement that propels you forward at the beginning has worn off and the end still seems so far away. (This is where I struggle the most and what I think is the hardest part!) We will break our goals down into 30 day and 60 day goals. We will talk about clean eating, meal preparation, meal planning and everything you need to get set up for success. We will measure progress by not just using the scale but by measurements and photos (I know. Super scary but when you think you aren't making any progress it is amazing to see what you actually done in the photos. Believe me. I've been there!) We will do this on Day 1, Day 30 and Day 60.

We will commit to trying out Shakeology for 60 days. I know once I did it, I fell in love with the energy I had and how great I felt from getting all the nutrients I need. (*Side note* my nails look awesome. Better than when I was on prenatal vitamins. It is my current obsession since I have struggled with weak and peeling nails forever! One of the perks I didn't know I was going to get.) So Shakeology is going to fuel your body (key word fuel) with the vitamins and nutrients you need throughout the day. And there is a 30 day guarantee on Shakeology so if it isn't working for you, we'll talk (and you get your money back.) --For more on my experience Shakeology read this.

We will also commit to working out 5-6 days a week. I don't care if you run, walk or lift. Just get that body moving! If you already workout regularly think about stepping up your game. Adding some weight training to your cardio. If you don't have an exercise regimen we can talk about options. If you are interested in trying a Beachbody program, we can talk about that too and get you set up with something that totally works for you. There are so many options outside of P90x and Insanity (which I feel gets all the love) so if hard core intensity isn't for you, we can totally find something that is. I am in LOVE with Chalene Johnson and her workouts. Turbofire makes me so happy. It really gives my inner cheerleader some much needed attention. I have also saw some awesome results with her other program, Chalean Extreme as well which offers low impact options and heavy lifting. I have found success with the at home programs from BeachBody because they are a killer workout and they all come with a schedule. So I can wake up, get my kiddo some breakfast and toss in a movie, look at the schedule, pop in a DVD and press play. I don't have to worry about getting her ready to go to the gym with me or what series of exercises I am going to do that day. I know me and I need that schedule. I get really freaked out if I am going to miss a day and "mess up" the schedule or the order. But whatever works for you, we will make it happen. 

For this challenge, I am going to be rocking some Les Mills Pump (and am really excited to get started with this program! New programs always get me super geeked to get going and see what they are all about.) I will also be incorporating some type of cardio to go with this - probably jumping back and forth between Turbo Fire and running outside. (Weather is a huge factor for me. I am not hard core enough -yet - to run outside if it is cold or raining or anything else that makes it remotely miserable. I need sunshine and chirping birds.)

We are going to check every day and post three things. If you had your shake, how your clean eating is going by rating it from 1-5 for the day and how much you brought it in your workout - also by rating it on a 1-5 scale. There will be ups and downs. There will be super awesome days and some cheat days. There will always be support, encouragement and tips on how to do it better tomorrow.

Plus I will give you daily motivation, tips and tricks and share all the research I have accrued over the last few months.

So the challenge starts with pre-season April 14th and the official kick off date of April 21st. For more info or to sign up for the challenge please complete the application here.

To sign up for a FREE Beachbody account click here. You will find message boards, articles and other motivational tools for you to use. (The goal tracker is my favorite!)

Making the most of the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas (at least 21 of them)

This year there are 26 days in between Thanksgiving and New Years.

26 days between two different events that can be a nightmare if you are trying your best to eat healthy
and make the best choices. There is something about wine, gravy and sprinkle cookies that make me want to just throw it all out the window.

And that doesn't even take into account all the celebrations in between. Work parties, extended family parties that are scheduled early so the maximum amount of people can be there, parties with friends....it is so easy to have every weekend fully booked in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Or even between Thanksgiving and New Years.

Dear Santa, what I would like for Christmas this year is not to gain weight.

So this is how I am going to arm myself to have a totally healthy holiday season (and still enjoy all the family, friends, and fun Christmas themed cocktails that are available) and rock the little black dress I haven't worn in 4 years for New Year's Eve.

I am going to do a 21 day Holiday Shred.

Here is how it would work:

For 21 days I would put you in a closed Facebook group with others trying to achieve the same goal (including me! yay!) We will talk about clean eating, meal preparation, meal planning and everything you need to get set up for success. We will measure progress by not just using the scale but by measurements and photos (I know. Super scary but when you think you aren't making any progress it is amazing to see what you actually done in the photos. Believe me. I've been there!) Because this challenge is so short we will do this at the start of the challenge and again on day 21. 

We will post daily in the group and rate our day on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. We will rate our diet and our exercise (basically how hard you brought it!) and whether or not we had our Shakeology.

We will commit to trying out Shakeology for the duration of the challenge. I know once I did it, I fell in love with the energy I had and how great I felt.  (*Side note* my nails look awesome. Better than when I was on prenatal vitamins. It is my current obsession since I have struggled with weak and peeling nails forever! One of the perks I didn't know I was going to get.) So Shakeology is going to fuel your body (key word fuel) with the vitamins and nutrients you need throughout the day. And there is a 30 day guarantee on Shakeology so if it isn't working for you, we'll talk (and you get your money back.) --For more on my experience Shakeology read this.

We will eat clean. (For more info on what that means read this.) But basically just strive to eat real, whole food. No chemicals and no processed food. I will provide you with recipe ideas, meal planning and all the tools that have worked so far for me on this journey.

We will also commit to working out 5-6 days a week. I don't care if you run, walk or lift. Just get that body moving! If you already workout regularly think about stepping up your game. Adding some weight training to your cardio. If you don't have an exercise regimen we can talk about options. If you are interested in trying a Beachbody program, we can talk about that too and get you set up with something that totally works for you. There are so many options outside of P90x and Insanity (which I feel gets all the love) so if hard core intensity isn't for you, we can totally find something that is. I am currently doing a combination of Chalene Extreme and TurboFire and am in LOVE with with both. TurboFire really gives my inner cheerleader some much needed attention. And Chalene Extreme makes me feel super strong and like a total bad a$$ -- because that is what lifting weights does to me. I have found success with the at home programs from BeachBody because they are a killer workout and they all come with a schedule. So I can wake up, get my toddler some breakfast and toss in a movie, look at the schedule, pop in a DVD and press play. I don't have to worry about getting her ready to go to the gym with me or what series of exercises I am going to do that day. I know me and I need that schedule. I get really freaked out if I am going to miss a day and "mess up" the schedule or the order. But whatever works for you, we will make it happen.

Plus I will give you daily motivation, tips and tricks and share all the research I have accrued over the last few months.

But there are so many parties and it will be so hard....

Yes. Parties are hard to navigate. I have always had the fear of missing out on food and wanting to make sure I get to taste everything. I mean what if I miss the very best thing at this party? What if I never get to have it ever again? 

The goal of doing this is not avoiding temptation and saying no to every party invitation that comes in the mail this year. It is about learning how to navigate those situations so you still get to enjoy everything about the holidays. (Because isn't the point really about seeing friends and family and not so much about eating so many cookies it would put Santa to shame?) We will talk about dealing with the hustle and bustle -- some of the best ways to deal with having so much to do and so many places to go that it makes the entire holiday season just seem like a whirlwind (and makes me just want to lay on the couch to take a nap!) 

But there is something so nice about having a group of people with a common goal to help get you though it. There will be bad days and bad choices but you always have somewhere to come back to that gets you right back on the wagon. 

Taking it up a notch....

I am also going to kick it up a notch by starting my 21 day shred with a Shakeology cleanse. This is not required for the group but it is something I have found to really start things off strong. It totally gives me the motivation to bring it for the duration of the challenge. (And after the four Thanksgiving dinners I have to eat this year, it is something I really need to do.) For more info on the cleanse read this or for my first cleanse experience you can click here. If you are interested in the cleanse (and only the cleanse) give me a shout. I have cleanse kits available that come with instructions and all the Shakeology you need. 

So how do I make this happen?

This is going to kick off December 2nd -- the Monday after Thanksgiving. 

Enrollment is open now. Send me a message or an email to scyobe@gmail.com with any questions or to get signed up! 

The Get on Fire Challenge (and may the odds be ever in your favor)

Maybe I just finished reading The Hunger Games
for the billionth time and maybe I am a teensy obsessed with the TurboFire program so what better way to combine my loves than into a group that I might have wanted to call the Girl on Fire challenge but was worried about violating some sort of copyright law?

But I have an obsession. The Hunger Games series consists of books that I never want to leave. Not because it would be such an awesome place to live but I become so invested in the characters and the story that I want it to go on forever. I want to be able to check back in with Katniss. See if they have built back up District 12. See how her kids are growing up. See how that whole new government thing is working out for everyone. (I also feel this way about the Harry Potter series.) I just can't get them out of my head for months after finishing the books -- no matter how many times I have read them.

I also might have a little bit of a girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence (ok a major girl crush.) I mean how awesome is she?

Between my recent rereading of The Hunger Games trilogy, all the leaks and pictures that are starting to circulate to promote the movie version of Catching Fire this November and the fact that I am in the middle of a workout program called TurboFire it seemed to be screaming for me to start a challenge based on something fire-y (or fire-ish -- Girl on Fire-escque? I don't know but now I totally want to make a shirt that says I am a girl on fire. I told you I am obsessed.)

So here is what I am thinking --

• A 90 day Facebook group dedicated to completing the TurboFire program. I don't care where you get it. Borrow it. Buy it. Whatever. Just commit to doing the program for 90 days. We will support each other and get each other through what I like to call the middle of the program slump where the excitement that propels you the first month has worn off and the end seems so far away. (This is where I struggle the most and what I think is the hardest part!)

**Full disclosure -- I am absolutely in love with this program. It is what you could call my soul mate workout. I feel like it was made for me. It is upbeat, fun and motivating. The music is amazing and it channels the cheerleader I used to be and never want to let go of. You can read more about my love affair with TurboFire and what the actual program is all about here. And you can view a video on the program here.

• We will not only support each other with workouts but with clean eating as well. We will be dedicated to eating healthy foods that will fuel our bodies. We can share recipes and I will provide you with a meal planner and lots of ideas and lists for how to grocery shop and what to buy.

• Clean eating can be hard. It is funny but trying to eat 5-6 times a day can be tricky (and you think it would be easy. More food. Yay!) But I tend to get busy and forget and then over indulge later. I developed a planner page that will help you track your meals and plan your day so this doesn't happen. So not only do you get a weekly meal planner but you get a day planner as well so that nothing can be left to chance. 

• Shakeology -- pretty much everyone at this point knows I love shakeology. It has made a huge difference in my life and my diet. I decided not to make Shakeology a requirement for this group but I highly encourage it. It is one meal I don't have to think about (and when I am super lazy sometimes 2 meals.) And it gives me the nutrition I need to get through the day -- the result of that is more energy and I am less likely to give into my cravings and less prone to stealing an ice cream cone from an unsuspecting child who just happens to be walking past me. 

So when will this start and what is going to happen?

We will start pre-season on September 3rd (the day after Labor Day) -- what is pre-season? That means you have a week to get it together. To start shopping for clean foods to stock your pantry (and get rid of the junk!) To take your measurements (and yes pictures!) and all that stuff everyone loathes doing until you see your before and after pictures side by side and are filled with pride at your accomplishments. 

The actually challenge will start September 9th and 90 days later it will end on December 7th -- I mean who doesn't want to be a On Fire for the holidays (hello - photo ops! I don't know about you but I am sick and tired of hiding from the camera when the holidays roll around. Plus all those relatives you don't see except for at the holidays...you know there is some motivation there.)

And yes -- we will have challenges like Thanksgiving to work around but that is one day (or two or three if you are juggling multiple family commitments like I am) but we will work through it. We will schedule our cheats and talk about the best ways to attend a dinner where no one really cares about your commitment to health and tempts you with pumpkin pie. No biggie. We will totally have this under control. And the reality is, you are always going to have challenges to work around. Maybe not a national holiday but birthdays, when your co workers bring donuts to work, weddings, showers, more birthdays. They are always going to be there. The best thing you can do is educate yourself and understand how your body feels when you are giving it the best possible nutrition. I promise you will start to be pickier about your cheats and how they need to be the best possible indulgence or they are so not worth it. 

Plus what makes this even better is there is an awesome promotion going on featuring TurboFire this month. So you have 10 more days to take advantage of this deal. What it does for you is it bundles the TurboFire workout with a 30 day supply of Shakeology - normally this bundle is a discount in and of itself, however this month it is discounted even more. (Check out the how you can save with a challenge pack here. )

Send me a message or an email scyobe@gmail.com for more info or to get enrolled!