How to Get Fit When You've Got a Suffocating Schedule

No time for working out because you're working so much? I hear ya, my friends. Due to circumstances stemming from the current economy, I had to take on a second job 4 weeknights per week. I was already a substitute teacher and was working as often as I could. Blessedly, when this night job opportunity came my way I simultaneously started working fulltime at the school during the day--still as a substitute for now. I was not only aware of but have long-since experienced the benefits of good fitness first hand so was distraught at being too busy to be able to fit workouts into my new schedule. I love to send up praises for these jobs because I love both of them, the people with whom I work, the children I teach and the chance to meet our financial needs and start getting some things paid off. If I were really honest (and those who know me KNOW that I cleave to honesty) I would have to admit that, even through the blessings, I've had gnawing yearning to reincorporate regular exercise and training back into my routine. But how?! I was hardly getting enough sleep as it was!

I know so many of you are facing the same challenge in your lives. We're working harder than ever these days and are so busy! What precious time we do have we want to spend with our families. Let me quickly lay out "A Day in the Life of Lisa" for you...prior to adding exercise back in:
************************************************************************************
~Monday through Friday I pry myself from my bed at 6am to quickly get myself dressed and ready, children up and at 'em, my lunch packed, dog let out, dog and cats fed, etc etc...all of the typical morning stuff.

~We scurry out the door at 6:45 to get Dustin to middle school, the girls to their appropriate enrichment/chorus activities and my booty to work at the girls' school.

~I'm at work at the elementary school until 3:15-3:30...depending on which after school duty I have at which time I rush on home. During the schoolday I get a 1/2 hour lunch break and am otherwise typically VERY active the entire day. (this is elementary school, afterall)!

~I've got 1 hour after work (an extra hour on Wednesdays due to early release) to throw a load of laundry in the washer (we're a family of five; we go through AT LEAST one load per day), grab a healthy snack, pop open bookbags with the children to help with homework/look at memos/sign agendas, change my clothes (if needed) for night job, perk a cup of coffee or green tea, kiss my husband and my little lovies goodbye and fly out the door to drive to Orlando for my evening job.

~I work at a proof operator (bank data entry) from 5:30 until anywhere from 10:30 until midnight (or later sometimes). We get a 1/2 hour break but otherwise are keying nonstop during the entire shift. Time goes quickly.

~After work I drive home and arrive there, on average, around midnight. Time to toss a load of laundry from the washer to the dryer, fold and put away any that might be ready, wash any dishes that might still be left (Matt and the children really try to help...sometimes he's just so tired too) and do any house chores that I can muster up before washing my face and falling into bed. I'm usually getting to bed around 1am...sometimes later on those later worknights.

~Day starts all over again the next day!
~Tuesday pm's, Saturdays and Sundays I'm off work. As I'm sure you can relate to, the time flies by lickety split. I fill that time with housework and getting organized as well as family time (playing games together, eating together, relaxing together, etc).
*************************************************************************************
So there ya have it! My life in a nutshell these days! Sound familiar to any of you? Not everybody has to work 2 jobs but many of you do or you probably at least feel like there's little spare time. You'd LIKE to exercise but just don't know where to start or where to fit in it. I urge you to read on, though, because you owe it to yourself to rethink things and do what it takes to take measures to attain a good level of fitness. If you're overweight and/or walking around with excess belly fat you are really setting yourself up for some dangerous health problems. Don't think you have time NOW to do anything? Imagine what issues with high blood pressure or heart attacks will do to your current routine. It's not just about exercising to fit into a pair of skinny jeans (although looking FINE is a really fun benefit of taking good care of yourself). It's about making yourself a priority so that you will feel your very best and be your healthiest. This, naturally, leads into you enjoying your life to the fullest and being the best you that you can be for the special people in your life.

How do I accomplish this then, Lisa?!

I'll share with you what I've done and maybe you can borrow some of my tips...the things that are working for me in the midst of my nutty agenda:

~Staying organized is key. I use a part of my weekends to plan meals for the week and we shop according to those mealplans. I prepare healthy meals in advance and freeze them and also plan healthy crockpot meals. Remember to plan healthy and easy lunches and snacks for yourself like I do so that you aren't scrambling and finding yourself in some drivethru for your food. What we put into our bodies is actually cornerstone to shedding excess weight and feeling great. Exercise just gives us a boost and makes us stronger, more flexible and relieves stress. Healthy eating choices are paramount--it's all in the advanced planning, people!

~Try waking up an hour early to get a workout in. It's a GREAT way to start your day! I have a hard time with this right now because I'm only getting 5 or less hours of sleep (and you do NOT want to cut out sleep, folks...it's important to your overall health as WELL as to weight loss...did you know that?) and I can't sacrifice more but, when I can, I like to kick start my day with the AWSOME Yoga Booty Ballet "A.M. Latte" workout. It's only 30 minutes long but supercharged and leaves me feeling great).

~Wherever and whenever I have to walk during my day (and it's a LOT at school) I push that body! I move like I'm a woman on a mission...squeezing with my cheeks (and not the ones I smile with ;) and working those legs. Park as far aways as you can at stores; don't take easy ways out. Stick that extra exercise in there anywhere you can! It all adds up. Don't just schlep around---MOVE it! (but don't forget to smile)!

~See if you can incorporate a brisk walk into your lunch break at work. I know LOTS of people who have started doing that. Some do it at the school. We've started doing it at Symcor (night job). Instead of eating during our break, my friend Shelly and I eat before work or on the way and then we spend our break fast walking with a little run here or there through the corridors of our building. 6 times 'round is a mile. We crushed 2 miles last night and are looking to attain a higher goal. We'll do this those 4 nights per week! My husband has often thrown some pushups, crunches and pullups into his workday. Drop and do as many pushups as you can a few times a day. Squeeze your butt while driving (rofl...try it...I'm serious)! Challenge yourself to look for unique ways such as these to incorporate exercise into your regular day. Get a friend involved...your more likely to stick to it if somebody else is depending on your company and encouragement.

~Find a workout program that is shorter but very effective. I can help you with this! (I'm a BeachBody coach loaded with a multitude of programs, remember)?! I'm a HUGE P90X fan but had to reevaluate my game plan once I started working 60+ hours per week. I don't have time right now to commit to the hour-hour and a half, very regimented workout schedule per day with P90X. I've vowed to do another round in the summertime when I've got a break from school. In the meantime, I've found success and heaven with BeachBody's Yoga Booty Ballet. SO many different workouts available under the YBB category...many are just 30 minutes. I've mentioned the morning one. I've also started doing the "Pajama Time" relaxation dvd almost each night when I get home--it's the absolute DESSERT of yoga and I've never slept better. Pure and Simple Yoga (also YBB) is only 30 minutes but a wonderfully intense workout. Then there are other hour long ones for days when I wake up early enough or have the day off.

~I keep a journal of the food I eat, the water that I drink and the exercise I do each day. This holds me accountable to myself and pushes me to do SOMETHING each day (I hate to have a page that doesn't list some form of exercise for that day).

~During our family time we make sure to spend some of that time in motion...biking or running together, playing on the playground, playing tag, tennis or some other shenanigans that burn calories while we have fun. Actually, Dusty, Sydney and McKenzie have certain BeachBody workouts that they like to do with us. Dusty's wanting to do P90X to get stronger for drumline tryouts at the high school next year. McKenzie got complimented on her 'ripped abs" during a checkup following her appendectomy last month and she told the nurse "I do P90X" (grin...she does me proud), and Sydney can do all kinds of crazy yoga moves! We just bought BeachBody's Shaun T "Fit Kids" workout dvd and I did it with my P.E. classes. A group of the 4th grade students wanted me to work up a similar routine with them for the talent show. So you see what serendipidously good turns your focus on including fitness in your life (and your family's life) can take you! Sometimes we'll throw on some music and spontaneously bust into a family dance party. Get nuts with eachother! It's fun, keeps you fit AND sets an all-important example for your kiddos.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed when you have so much to do, when the piles of things to file are stacked up (mine are, by the way) and when you're at the bottom of the hill looking up. Gillian Marloth from Yoga Booty Ballet says, "In order to change your body, you have to change your mind." Start today. Make a plan. Let me help you. You're NOT in this alone--that's why I'm here. I'm here to share my story and to help you put a plan of action in motion. Do not be bound by the seemingly heavy weight of an overwhelming schedule. The boundaries are all in your mind. Leave me a comment here or, better yet, message me through my BeachBody website www.beachbodycoach.com/LisaErin or on Facebook. Anything is possible. I'm a walking testimony! ♥~peace!♥

When the world crushes down on your shoulders...

We all fall on hard times of one variety or another from time to time. It's a given fact of life that challenges will arise but I think a lot of us feel like we're due some sort of guaranteed, constant happiness. People do all sorts of things when they face these stressers: they take it out on those around them--sometimes resulting in a sort of emotional blackmail, they fall into depression, and many even turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope. We all have problems. Even I--SunnySideUp Lisa--have problems! This week, in fact, has been a most challenging one for me.

My stepmom, after several months of illness, went to be with our Lord a week ago. My dad, siblings and other family members knew that it was coming but of course losing somebody to death is never easy. Her passing may well have been the best thing for her, as I was reminded, but that fact doesn't make the missing her any easier! It hurts! What hurts even more is that, due to pressed financial times (and that's putting it lightly) I could not get to Georgia to be with my family during any portion my stepmom's illness and not even for her funeral. What kicks me in the ribs the most is that, through their own grieving, I really don't think that my extended family truly knows neither how serious our situation is nor how upset I am that I could not make the trip. This may be my own sensitivity preying on me and making my mind work overtime (as my personality type usually allows) but I dont know--I'm sickened over the thought that perhaps they feel I blew it off. This is not so.

Add to all of that whole thing the day to day worry of making our bills that my husband and I have been facing right. It's rough for so many of us right now. Like my husband, many of you may have had to take pay cuts. Many of you may have actually lost your jobs! Many of you know exactly what I'm talking about (and you know who you are). ;) A couple of months behind on both the mortgage and the vehicle payment is not a happy place to be. We've cut back and skeletoned down even further--just when we thought we were as bare bones economically-minded as we could be. The bill collectors are a callin' and dropping in with pleasant little visits. These are full stress-potential times like no other for us!

Stress precursors come and stress precursors go. The world keeps on spinning and I've found a few ways to continue to move forward right along with it. None of these tips that I will share with you diminish the fact that the challenges are very real and that we have to face them and deal with them but they do help me to keep things in perspective and not get stuck in a pit of despair. I've got an incredibly fantastic husband who is right there on the same page with me, I have some loving, supportive and understanding family members, and I have more than my share of both longtime, dear friends as well as newer, growing friendships. Some of these folks are in the struggling financial pit with us and know first-hand the pains of being behind and others are just really great at showing empathy and compassion. Regardless of who you have in your life, RELATIONSHIPS are the first key. When you are facing a huge challenge it is the relationships that you have been nurturing that will become a most invaluable tool. Here's a little clue, too: we should all be nurturing those relationships continually---not just when we are in need! Relationships with others are what we were created to have and sometimes those are the first things to get dropped. Stressful times can be a good reminder as to how important our friends and family are and how--moving forward--we should place them high on the heirarchy of our lives if they've fallen short in the past. Sharing your problems with a close friend or relative who cares is such a freeing experience. Please don't bottle up your pent up emotions. Find somebody to share them with.

You probably know what I'm going to emphasize next. I have found that, without a doubt, staying physically active helps keep my emotions and feelings on an even keel and helps me to find balance and peace--even in the most stressful of times (actually, ESPECIALLY in the most stressful of times). It's been shown that our bodies store up our tensions even long after we think we've processed the situation in our minds. That's why it's so important to exercise regularly and consistently and not just in little occasional bursts here and there. If I'm feeling tightly wound over something and absolutely ready to explode with frustration, a run outdoors is just the ticket for me or sometimes it's a fast ride on my road bike, Creamsicle. The P90X Plyometrics and Core Synergistics workouts are other examples of intense workouts that drain me of every bit of stored up tension and put me right on time. Then there is my close buddy: Yoga. Yoga and I have become great friends and I would LOVE to introduce you! A good yoga session should provide you with such a harmonious blend of strength, balance, flexibility and relaxation poses after which you will undoubtably feel your troubles melt away. I try to do at least 2 yoga workouts each week (but usually more) and change it up between the 90 minute YogaX that comes with the P90X program and our Yoga Booty Ballet series. Yesterday afternoon was a particularly difficult time for me but after Matt and I did YogaX I felt so much better--it was a night and day difference. I slept well and woke up feeling great.

That brings up another important thought: rest, water and healthy food. We hear so often about the importance of staying hydrated with water, about being careful about what you fuel your body with and about getting plenty of rest. I'm not going to drone on about that now but I do want to emphasize that all 3 of these things are crucial to your overall good health and your ability to effectively and positively deal with stressful issues. Don't turn a deaf ear on the suggestions. Drink your water, eat healthfully and go to bed on time, if not early, people!

Nurturing relationships, physical activity of a high enough intensity and particular type, healthy good, water and rest are all pieces of the puzzle that I've found to help me weather the storms with a smile on my face. I also have to take a moment to mention that, in all of this, I give credit to my maker for the positive outlook I default to and for the drive to stay focused and stick with these uplifting and freeing outlets as opposed to allowing myself to be crushed. For me, living a healthy lifestyle is such a beautifully harmonious process involving a balance of mind, body and spirit through which God works to bring about beauty---even during the ugly moments.

Are you struggling and looking for a way to hold your head above the water? I'm not a counselor but I have a love for people and for helping people get healthier (thus happier). I'm an Independent Beach Body coach and would love to hear your story and help you find your way out of the mud. I'd be happy to tell you more about P90X, Yoga Booty Ballet or any of our other programs. I'd also be happy just to listen :) ~~To your health and happiness~~

Has a workout ever brought YOU to tears?

Most of you would probably say "YES! or at least NEARLY to tears!" and in that comment you'd most likely be talking about pushing yourself to the point of pain and agony because the move you were working yourself through was so difficult. That usually brings me to a point of having to bite the foul words from rolling off my tongue. I've been brought to tears several times during a variety of different moves but the tears were of a different variety.

An article that I found today on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21073097/ talks about being 'moved to tears' due one of a couple of reasons. First of all, there is research that shows that exercise brings us to a release of pent-up emotions. The 2nd explanation is that people possibly become more contemplative of life during certain exercises (such as yoga, for example). In ruminating over the different times I've had a teary reaction to exercise I've come to the conclusion that, for me, it's a healthy combination of both of those instances.

During my 1st round of BeachBody's rigorous and highly popular P90X program, I found myself on the brink absolutely busting out into tears at the end of the fast-paced, full exersion "Vertical Punches" move of the KenpoX workout. It happened every single time. I'd follow trainer Tony Horton and crew in punching upward and across with alternating fists---starting slowly and methodically at first---culiminating in a frenetic punchfest that left me gulping for air...not because it was beyond my aerobic capacity but because I was moved to TEARS!

In other circumstances, I've noticed that the tears sprung from more emotional responses to exercise. This usually happens to me during yoga. In fact, it happened today (which is what moved me to share). I've finished my 1st round of P90X and am exploring my other BeachBody programs that came with my coaching kit until I start P90X round 2. Yoga Booty Ballet was my program of choice today and it is so me! I loved it! Men and woman alike can glean tons of positivity and an awsome workout from it but it sure made me feel all woman. The music, settings and colors were beautiful and exotic and the harmonizing blend of fun dancy moves, strengthening ballet moves and yoga challenged me aerobically, worked my muscles and stretched and relaxed me. I felt so at peace and balanced by the completion of the YBB dvd. Then it happened again: the feeling welled up from down deep, made my throat clench briefly until I recognized what was happening and just welcomed the tears and gave in to them. It was beautiful. For me, yoga is a special time of getting quiet with myself and with God and the whole hour and 10 minutes I had just spent in my workout felt like a treat at a faraway and beautiful spiritual and physical health spa~

Exercise won't always result in bringing you to tears. Some people never experience that. Experiencing the increased strength, flexibility and endurance I have through regular exercise and the calming peace that results from offering up the effort and then collecting the benefits has shown me, without a doubt, that it is absolutely crucial to a happy and fulfilling life. It has made me an even better person. It has made me more at peace with who I am and, in turn, better prepares me to positively impact the lives of those around me and enjoy all that this beautiful world has to offer.

It's hard to know where to start; you just have to jump in and do it. I'm not a doctor, therapist or nutritionist but I'm an Independent BeachBody Coach and can get you started on a path including an exercise and nutrition program that will change your life in an infinite number of positive ways be it with Yoga Booty Ballet, P90X or any of a number of other programs we've got. When you're ready, leave me a comment, drop me an email, find me on facebook or head directly over to my BeachBody site at www.beachbodycoach.com/LisaErin (be sure it says "Coach Lisa" once you log into the site). Time to get your groove on, folks! Tears, smiles, laughter and high fives...it's all good~~

Family Fun Friday

Yes!! It's Family Fun Friday!

Several years ago, I felt the need to start some really fun traditions for our young family. I wanted to find things that we could look forward to regularly and come to depend on and find comfort and togetherness in. "Family Fun Friday" was born out of this longing.

For us, Family Fun Friday (which we ALWAYS call it) means that I'll be making my homemade pizza and we'll do some cozy and fun things together as a family here at home, typically. Sometimes we'll play a board game or two (we have LOADS...some of our favorites are Cranium Family Fun, Scattergories, Rummicube and Mad Gab), perhaps go for a swim in our pool and enjoy a rousing game of beach ball volleyball, maybe watch a DVD together.

As our children have gotten older we'll tweak Family Fun Friday a little bit to add some pizzazz. For example, an addition we included within this past year was that every Family Fun Friday each family member can--ahem--burp and fart without having to say excuse me. Rofl. Seriously. It's not just a casual thing in passing. Oh no! Because we typically appreciate and require the standard good manners that go along with such an event it seems to have become a sort of contest to see how 'good' of an explosion everyone can conjure up. I'm known amongst my family members for being the sorriest burper to ever walk the planet, by the way...but I digress.

It's incredible to think about how I've been making these homemade pizzas most every Friday for EIGHT years! Our son was in kindergarten we we started the tradition and he'll be in his last year of middle school soon, for goodness sake! It's been something special that we've all shared together during this time and hopefully we'll be blessed with many more Family Fun Fridays together. It's all about the importance of family togetherness--sharing and SHOWING our love for one another through good times--by TAKING the time to be together despite all of those things that 'have to get done.'

I'm a firm believer that a truly healthy and happy lifestyle includes, of course, the very important elements of healthy eating and of physical fitness but also of love and of relationships. For me, those important relationships are with God, with my husband, with our 3 fantastic children, our extended family and our friends. We so often think of love as a feeling...cause it so often feels GREAT! But "love" is actually an ACTION! You won't always be feeling top notch, feeling all peachy or feeling 'in love' but you can overcome the feelings of negativity by focusing on the relationships in your life and by bestowing acts of love upon the people you care about. Family traditions are a great way to pull all of that together and make sure that you're all making special time for eachother.

Working out faithfully and eating healthfully also go hand in hand with consistently feeling better. The better you feel the more well-equipped you are to give of yourself. Matt and I were really tired yesterday but made a pact with eachother that we'd get our P90X workouts done and boy did we ever feel GREAT afterward! Exercise is PROVEN to make you feel better. If you haven't deduced already, I'm a BeachBody Coach and genuinely want to help as many people as I can make that positive change in their lives by finding a fitness regimine that you actually like and will stick with...it's a lifetime change, afterall! P90X is absolutely fantastic but there are people of all types; as such, we've got programs of all types for all different likes.

Incidentally, my focus in making these homemade pizzas is to make them as healthfully as I can and still end up with a super tasty pie that everyone in the family loves! The children still, typically, enjoy a plain cheese or a pizza with a few pepperoni sprinkled on it but I make whole wheat crusts. Matt and I particularly like the thin crusts and, for ours, I'll often throw cut spinach leaves, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, black olives and just a LIGHT sprinking of mozzarella cheese on there with a slight dusting of feta cheese and a weensy dribble of olive oil over the top. The flavor is incredible, we hit most of the major food groups, the health value is high and it's just such fun!

I'd be happy to share my homemade pizza recipe if there's interest. Y'all just leave me some comments at the bottom of this post. Also drop me a line to learn more about the BeachBody fitness programs we have available...you can also just pop directly over to my site at www.beachbodycoach.com/LisaErin (please make sure you type in that last bit...the /LisaErin part).

So, to you and your relationships: Here's to staying healthy and rejoicing in the love that's all around and within us!~~Slainte!~~

Your Reason Why

Ok, the cat's been out of the bag for a long time. It's no surprise that most people embark on a fitness plan to attempt to lose weight, drop a dress size or belt size (or two), fit into a pair of skinny jeans, etc. Call it what you may but it boils down to a focus on a physical change. I'm not here to disparage that fact. It's important. America is still having a huge problem (pardon the pun) with obesity and something does have to be done about it. But get a load of this: did you happen to know that, of the hundreds of thousands of people who set out on some kind of diet or "weight loss program," just about NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT of them result in failure? What's THAT all about?!

I'll tell ya what it's about: their fitness focus is all wrong! There are a plethora of positive benefits that exercise is ready to provide you with but they, unfortunately, often get overshadowed by the "I just want to lose weight" monster. When you exercise for 20 minutes a day or more, you give your body the immediate gifts of alleviating stress, feeling better (due to the release of those awsome chemicals in your body called endorphins), being more equipped to fight off illness, the ability to reduce or elimate certain ailments (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type II diabetes), and that sense of satisfaction that comes following a tough workout of any kind. (My friends in fitness will attest to this...can I get an "Amen)?"

We all have tough days. There are times when a grueling day makes you feel plain ole tuckered out or achey and you just want to bathe, put on those pj's and kick your feet up. The thought of working out isn't even remotely inspirational. Ironically, I've found that--during those particular type of moments--thinking about my desire to lose a few pounds or inches makes me almost rebellious to the idea of donning my sneakers and popping in a workout dvd or going for a run. My take on that? I think it's a frustration in the idea that I'm allowing myself to focus on how I think society in general looks upon us. That old chestnut of having to fit a certain mold, to look a certain way, to be 'skinny." (there, I said it). So when I'm tired and worn out the thought of mustering up a workout for the specific purpose of looking a certain way for others who I don't even care about (that sounds too harsh for me...I think you know what I mean though) just sends me into my pj's with the longing for a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips! It's a mind game sort of thing.

We've got to find a 'reason why,' people. We have to turn within and really search for those reasons why we should work out regularly--6 days a week--EVEN when we don't feel like it. I'll share my reasons why to get your brains churning...it's that important:
~Lisa's reason #1: to experience that AWSOME and almost indescribably positive post workout feeling
~Lisa's reason#2: to increase my strength so as to positively effect all other elements of my life (from participating in triathlons and foot races to your more mundane tasks such as lifting things in and around the house without straining myself)
~Lisa's reason #3: to everything humanly possible to exponentially increase the quality of my life here on earth; to do everything I can to remain as healthy as I can in the hopes and with the prayers that I will live a long life and be able to share it in an active, fun and happy way with my husband, our children and (someday...LONG from now...their children) :)
~Lisa's reason #4: to eliminate or at least reduce those dreaded aches and pains that are otherwise inevitable as we age

Keep in mind, too, folks...the food that you eat is equally important as making sure to get in good, quality exercise 6 days per week. The main goal is to 'eat clean' by focusing on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins whilst minimizing the salt, sugar and fat in your diet. When you consistently eat healthfully and avoid those nasty foods (as our trainer, Tony Horton, likes to call them :) you'll find that your body craves the baddies less and less..particularly if you're getting that daily exercise in.

People, embarking on that fitness plan is of the utmost importance! I've just heard that the last 20 to 30 years of your life depends on it! There, I've just GIVEN you one of your 'reasons why:' to live a quality life during the latter few decades of it. You MUST take care of your body now so that it treats you right later. Find those other 'reasons why' and then, if you need help finding an excellent and complete fitness program to get you moving the way you should be and to keep you from getting bored then contact me. I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist but I AM an Independent BeachBody coach and can set you up on one of our phenominal programs like P90X, among others. That's the program that my husband and I are using and I have been ASTOUNDED by the fitness gains I've made--by leaps and bounds--in just the 9 weeks that we've been 'pushing play.' If you need to lose weight, you know who you are. I can help you with that but let's find other more lasting reasons to get and to STAY fit, shall we?

~To your health!~
Lisa :)

Why reinvent the wheel?

I thought I could do it. I cook healthful meals for my family. We pay attention to what we eat and try to make the heathier choices when it comes to nutrition such as using whole wheat flour in my pizza, pancake and muffin recipes, using olive oil instead of butter, staying well away from fried foods and making healthier, roasted versions instead. I could go on and on but you get the picture. So, when I dove into BeachBody's P90X workout program 5 weeks ago I really thought, "I've got the nutrition thing covered. I don't need to follow the specifically laid out meal plan. I'll just cook my own foods." This is an option that the program gives you, afterall.

Things were going very well with P90X. I've been faithful to my daily workouts and in 'bringing it' each time I push play (BeachBody'isms that we use meaning to push play on your dvds and give it your all when you do). I could instantly feel my body adjusting to the increased work I was asking it to do and could feel myself transforming into an even stronger woman! The thing that I kind of chuckle over lately is how I often find myself running my hands up and down my arms because it's so pleasing to actually feel the lean and beautiful muscles taking shape. No doubt about it, I'm seeing fantastic progress through P90X.

But another big part of my goal, aside from getting lean, ripped muscle tone is to lose the excess but of flabbola that I've got clinging to my 'womanly areas' (read: stomach area, bootiekins and thighs). No matter how much triathlon training and running I've done that dang fat just seems to want to cling onto me in those areas like a baby monkey to it's mama. 5 weeks into the program, I KNOW my abs are killer stronger. You can gauge this by comparing how well you did w/the exercises when you first began to how well you're able to keep up now. There were moves in the Ab RipperX workout that I had to modify or that I couldn't finish all 25 reps on when I began P90X that I'm able to hang with all the way through to the end these days (and I'm only a monkey toehair past being 1/3 the way done. Imagine me 2 months from now)! But still that excess jiggle that annoys me to no end remains, dagnabbit!

The thing is, though, you can work out as hard as you want and do killer ab moves til the cows come home but if you ignore the nutrition aspect of the equation you're missing a crucial part and you will NOT meet the goals you seek. Ignore the nutrition aspect? But I thought I was eating well! I cook healthfully and consider myself a health-minded person in general! I had to take a hard, honest look and figure out what was going on. Truth be told, those calories add up faster than you can imagine. A little 'harmless' snacky bite of this and another bite of that can throw you over your daily calorie total before you blink an eye. Those calories can be sneaky. I'd go to bed thinking I'd done so well but if I'd have actually journaled every single bite of what I'd eaten each day my guess is that I would have been coming in about 3-400 calories beyond my target calorie total daily---at least. That doesn't sound like a lot, does it. But thinking of weight loss as a specific equation where you have GOT to burn off more calories than you are taking in (it's really as simple as that....it's all of the emotional eating garbage that muddles the picture and messes us up) it's no wonder I'm not losing that excess stuff I want to lose. I wasn't OVEReating...I was maintaining the position where I'm at. But that's not my goal; my goal is two-fold: to get stronger AND to lose the extra flabbola!

My peeps, you simply CANNOT ignore the nutrition piece of a weight loss program. Exercise is the other integral part...and kudos to you (and me!) if you are doing that. The time has come to stick to an eating plan that you can live with for the rest of your life. On that note, why reinvent the wheel? Here I was, a little tenacious woman who thought I could manage it on my own but even being dedicated to healthy eating I was not hitting my target. BeachBody, through the many exercise programs that are available and the information and tools available on the website, offers a great resource to help you reach your goals. Right there on my site you will find a calorie calculator to help you figure out just how many calories you should be taking in to reach a specific weight loss goal. Many of the programs (such as my P90X, Slim in 6, ChaLEAN Extreme and others) give you a detailed nutrition guide/plan so that it takes the guesswork out of the whole thing. So, I've opened up my beautiful, glossy nutrition booklet that I received with my P90X kit and am now following the menu plan; it even gives recipes and, let me tell you, they are DEElicious!

I touched on the emotional part of overeating. Let me not discount that thorn in our side. There are many reasons why people do it but the commonality is that we all MUST find a way to STOP doing it. I have suggestions for you on that as well. First of all, you NEED support and accountability. You've got to find somebody with whom you can get honest with to tell them of your struggles and ask them for help in the encouragement department. As a BeachBody coach and a person who cares about your health, I can be that person for you. Also, eventually eating healthfully and knowing how much and when to eat will come naturally to you but, in the meantime, it is CRUCIAL that you journal what you eat (and drink) each day. Every morsel. Every bite! Some people get all kinds of detailed logging how much protein, carbs, etc (I used to be that 'some people)' but that is simply not necessary unless you want to. Just list the date, time, what you ate and the calories. Keep track of how much water you drank and notate what exercise you did (and at what time) along with notating how you felt that day, etc. This will help you see any particular patterns that you might want to be aware of (like did you notice yourself reaching for more food later in the evening out of boredom)?

A few other tips I've learned along the way: GET TO BED at night at a decent hour! Don't stay up playing around on the computer or watching tv...that's when a lot of unneccessary eating happens. We often ignore the signals from our body when it tells us it's TIRED. Get to bed at a decent hour! If you feel yourself experiencing a craving for a calorie-laden food or if you feel like eating when you know you really shouldn't be hungry, INTERRUPT yourself! You have to get in the habit of NOT making those endless trips to the fridge and pantry. Pop in one of your BeachBody workouts, go for a walk or a swim, do ANYthing that will take your mind off of it (or at least keep you from that blasted fridge)! In most cases, after about 15 minutes the feeling will pass and you can pat yourself on the back! Also, DRINK WATER! Oftentimes, when we think we are 'just soooo hungry' we are actually VERY FLIPPIN THIRSTY! There's nothin like water! Drink up!

It took a bit of time to form these less than desireable habits and to put the excess flab on. Be kind to yourself and take this step toward true happiness and good health. You'll feel better and you'll be setting a super example for others around you---young and old. To find out how to buy P90X or any other of our excellent programs and to get on the path to regular exercise and healthy eating, head over to my main site at www.beachbodycoach.com/LisaErin. Would love for you to share comments below as well.

To our health~