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!)