Will Your Resolutions Fail?

Recently there was an article at Cracked.com (For Mature Audiences. The language and topics tend to be racy) that discussed the common reasons for failure in New Year's Resolutions. Did yours fail last year? See how many of these resemble you...

Mistake: Setting Vague Goals
I think everyone I've seen on Facebook has done this one year or another. Things like "eat healthier" or "lose weight" or "start exercising more" are in this list. I'm going to look at "start exercising more." What is "more" to you? Are you not exercising at all right now? Do you count taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work exercise? Are you going to exercise 10mins once a month? (That's "more" if you're not doing anything at all right now) 20mins a week? 30mins a day?

Remedy: Set a Concrete Goal
Using the above "goal" as a reference, a better goal would be "I resolve to exercise 10mins a day, 3 days a week." Now you have a time goal and a day goal.


Mistake: Trapping Others in Your Resolution
I'm guilty of this one. The goal of "eat healthier" carries into this one if you have a family because you know you're going to purge the house of all the JUNK. If you vow to never drink soda again (a great goal by the way) your family should be in on the decision so they don't come home with a 6-pack of Coke and torture you by drinking it in front of you.

Remedy: Make the Decision Together.
You're more likely to keep one of these resolutions if you make the decision as a family. Does everyone want to travel? Great! Make a list and choose a few places. Does everyone need to get healthy? It's time to get honest about the pitfalls in your diet and exercise and change TOGETHER.


Mistake: Not Doing Homework First
How much weight is healthy to lose in a week? Answer: 1-2lbs. Seriously. If you're obese you will probably lose more initially but it will taper off. You can't expect to pull "Biggest Loser" numbers here in the real world. And you shouldn't get discouraged when you don't!

Remedy: Do Your Research
Set a goal like "Lose 4lbs each month" and you're set. That's a healthy loss (1lb a week) and you'll still have lost over 50lbs by the end of the year. If you have more weight to lose you can double it and lose 100 POUNDS by Dec 31, 2012. Yep, I'm totally serious.


Mistake: Going All Out
I'm all for being gung-ho and excited. But if you start a marathon running at top speed you won't make it very far. If you jump up on January 1st and decide you're going to start running that's fine...but if you're not in peak physical condition you may need to start with intervals. You've heard me talk about P90X on this blog before. I love the program. But I'll be the first one to tell you that it is NOT a beginner program. Yes, you can modify, but it's not the best program for someone just starting to exercise. What happens to a lot of people is they start a new INTENSE exercise program and find that they can't keep up. Maybe they don't have time to workout an hour each day, maybe they wake up sore too often and give up, or maybe they just don't like whatever workout they think they're "supposed" to do. (I hear this about running...)

Remedy: Baby Steps!
Is your goal to exercise? Start with 10mins a day a few days a week. When that gets easy you can up it to more days or more time. Want to eat healthy? Try a new recipe with a new veggie. If you make small changes you can be a new person by the end of the year!


Mistake: Failing to Know Yourself
One of the mistakes that *I* made with P90X is under this heading. I thought "I'll do it at night after the kids go to bed." Yeah, that lasted 3 weeks. Several nights I didn't get into bed until 11pm (Hey, that's late for me) because the baby wouldn't sleep and I still had an hour long workout to do. When I tried to do it during the day I had kids running off with my weights. (Or, in one case, dropping them on me...) It just wasn't for me.

Remedy: Plan Better
This year I'm beginning the year with Slim in 6. It's a 6 week program with intense 30min workouts. THAT I can do!


So what are your resolutions? Remember: "He who fails to plan is planning to fail" ~ Winston Churchill

Shakeology v Slimfast

Two things I've heard lately...

"I can't do those meal replacement powders. I think they're nasty."

"Why should I buy Shakelogy when I can just go to Walmart and get X shake?"


I'll address them each in turn...

1) I've also tried other powders...and they ARE nasty. You know what makes them nasty? Artificial crap. Seriously, the general rule is: If a 7 year old can't read it you probably shouldn't eat it. This link was VERY informative. I've actually found myself wishing I could turn back time and slap the shake out of my hand at 15 years old. It's kind of like Diet Soda vs Regular Soda vs Soda with Cane Sugar. YOU CAN TELL THE ONES WITH ARTIFICIAL CRAP.
Let's look at SlimFast vs Shakeology:

So there's that!


2) Yes, you can totally go to Walmart and buy some generic shake. OR you could try Shakeology.
If you buy a shake at the store and it does NOTHING for you then you've wasted your money. You'll never get that money back.
Shakeology has a 30 Day Bottom of The Bag Guarantee. What does that mean? If, in the first 30 days, it doesn't live up to your expectations for ANY reason you can get a full refund (less S&H) You know what will happen if you call Slimfast? They'll probably apologize and give you a coupon. I've never called so I can't say exactly what they'd do...but I know FOR A FACT that Shakeology has the guarantee.


Read it all for yourself: myshakeology.com/kasmorin

Dinner Highlight

I mostly just loved out the plating turned out with this...I'll show you the picture before I really start explaining (because it's prettier than it sounds!)

It looks like some nifty restaurant meal doesn't it? Yeah...that's a hamburger and fries! 

I can't tell you what it was seasoned with because my husband made them! I wasn't privy to the ingredients (he probably wouldn't remember anyway to be honest) 

I sauteed some mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. 

We did sweet potato fries (and one red potato worth of fries). 

The plating started as an accident. I was putting mushroom and tomato on it and it looked so pretty that I went with it! 

See what a little creativity can do?

Breakfast in 2 Minutes?

Are you PUMPed??

I did a training webinar last night and I'm PUMPed!!!

Why am I typing it like that? Because it's Les Mills PUMP!




The #1 gym class in the WORLD (seriously) has joined with the #1 at home fitness program company in the US.

All of these prices are Introductory! They don't know yet if they'll be able to offer it at this price for long...

Regular: $165.85
Club: $149.27
Coach: 124.39

And that's just the BASE kit! The Deluxe kit comes with an extra set of weights, a step (pro grade), and extra DVDs!

Are you excited?

December 22nd this goes LIVE! Not a customer yet? Sign up for a FREE account with me as your coach. When you buy from a coach (either kit) you get an extra Core DVD for FREE!

Want to learn more about Les Mills PUMP? Keep watching for future posts on exactly how it works!

Why I Chose Beachbody 3

I'll be honest. Right now any money *I* make is just icing (Well, after I pay for our Shakeology that is...) My husband's job pays us more than enough money. We live comfortably and are slowly paying down debts.

I realized today, after Stefan got called in to work again on a Saturday, why I love having this job so much...

I'm the boss.

Seriously. That's one of the best feelings.

There are other good points...

It's part of my job to eat healthy, drink Shakeology, and workout.

I get paid to do things I enjoy...like go to the gym.

Let me repeat that:  Basically, I get paid to live my life.


I also don't have to go in to an office during the day and get to spend my time with these guys:

Yes, that can be VERY stressful....but, from what I've heard from a fellow mom, not nearly as stressful as leaving them each day could be.


Tell me again why you're not interested in Beachbody?

Giveaway?!

See over on the right side of the blog? It says "Followers" and has a blue "Join this Site" button? Click there and follow my blog. Tell everyone you know to do it as well!

Why?

When I hit 50 followers I'm going to do a giveaway for some Beachbody Goodies! I'll send the winner a neat goody bag with Shakeology, Recovery drink, Protein bars, and a surprise workout DVD.

What are you waiting for?

Motivation, Musings, Monday

I know, I'm so clever with my titles...

Source: writeclickscrapbook.com via Kasondra on Pinterest

I love that thought!


- Sometimes I want to take a Facebook break...but I end up with 20 notifications when I'm gone 2 hours (seriously)

- My youngest son is having a growth spurt. I wrote about it here.

- My diet and exercise have been SERIOUSLY lacking...and I've gained 5lbs.

- Did you see where Rockin' Body is 65% off? That's the price of a SINGLE workout DVD...but you'd get a huge SET.

Amazing Christmas Deal!!

I JUST SAW THIS!!!!

 Give the gift of a Rockin’ Body this holiday season!

 It’s easy, and so ridiculously affordable, why WOULDN’T you?

For an extremely limited time only, we’ve dramatically reduced the price on the classic Shaun T workout—Rockin’ Body.

 Here’s how it breaks down: 


Base Kit Original price: $59.95 + $5.95 s&h
Sale price: $19.95 + $5.95 s&h
That’s a 65% price cut! 

 SERIOUSLY??

 By the way, if you're a coach it cuts it to $15 instead of $20 ;)

 What do you get? 
Get 5 workouts and 2 bonus routines.
 You’ll learn the Mark It and Move It technique along with dance and sculpting moves set to hot music tracks. From rock to techno to disco, you’ll party off the pounds in no time. Y
ou’ll also get the My Quickstart Guide workout calendar, a Never Diet Again nutrition guide with Shaun’s favorite recipes, and 24/7 Online Support.
 Shaun even includes a Party Guide to tell you what to eat and drink at a party, and the 3-Day SlimDown plan for visible results in just 3 days.
Where do you go to get such a great deal? The picture below!
 

Ban The Cell Phones?

The NYT (That's The New York Times...I'm trying to be cool and abbreviate things...is it working?) put out an article recently on gyms struggling to ban cellphone usage.

LIKE movie theaters and libraries, many fitness clubs have insisted for years that their workout areas should be cellphone-free. Their logic is as simple and straightforward as a push-up: they want to prevent people from yakking on their phones and annoying the fitness buffs who want to crank out reps and mileage in relative peace. Safety is another reason, because texting while running on a treadmill can be hazardous to your health.

It's not just annoying and unsafe...privacy is coming into the discussion. I know that I am NOT sexy when I work out. I'm also really self conscious about going to the gym. A lot of people struggle with the "I need to be in shape to go to the gym" mentality. If I thought that someone could be videotaping or photographing me I'd be even MORE nervous.

But should phones be banned?

My thought? Yes.

Hear me out...barring an emergency situation you should be focused on working out when you're at the gym.  For me, gym time is ME time. I want to be inside my own head and that's it. I use my phone as an mp3 player but I do not chat. I'll call my husband (because he's usually my ride) when I'm done and that's it. You'll survive 30mins without checking Facebook. If you want to walk and chat with your BFF go outside and walk on the track. Really, you should be focusing on YOU.

What about people chatting it up in person? They should stop too. I don't go to the gym to socialize. I know, I'm a loser like that. Again, it's ME time. Working out is when I, well, work things out mentally. I don't need to hear about your date from last night while I'm thinking about my business or focusing on my breathing during a sprint.


What do you think? Is it okay to socialize at the gym?

New Restaurant Trends 2012...Excited?

I read an article recently called Top 10 Restaurant Trends for 2012

In it the author states

... the predictions are from Baum+Whiteman, international food and restaurant consultants in New York. They say the coming year will be all about “into the wild” as chefs go foraging for new ingredients and customers abandon comfort food for intense mix-and-match global flavors.

It's interesting to say the least. There are a few things I'm going to hit on in this blog...

1. Whole world on a plate. Look for a multi-ethnic, multi-sensory dining experience where flavors clash on purpose. Now it’s all about multi culti. A zucchini pizza dabbed with hummus and topped with crunchy wasabi peas is from nowhere geographically because it’s from everywhere. Cooking is at a crossroads where everything collides.

This could be really neat. I've seen it done on a lot of cooking shows. It's called Fusion Cuisine. I've been known to do it in my kitchen; occasionally on purpose! You might take Mexican flavors and serve them with an Italian flair (Stuffed shells but with jack cheese and ground beef instead of ricotta). It's a great way to change up your menu!! Instead of having the same dish you can deconstruct it and present it a different way without sacrificing your favorite flavors.

4. Innards and odd parts. Tongue, gizzards and pigs ears are moving up from ethnic neighborhoods and onto menus of upscale restaurants.  In the year ahead, look for more “wobbly cuts,” such as tripe, chicken livers that are crunch-fried and beef heart (but not brains, yet), because customers are increasingly adventurous.

My husband will be more excited about that than I am...he goes for the "offal" parts. I've tried to eat them (my style of eating says they're good for you) but I just can't do it! I even tried doing half kidney and half ground beef in a spaghetti sauce. I tasted every single bite of kidney in the dish! It will be interested to see fancy places serving what was once lower class cuts!

6. Instead of bread. Look for sandwiches piled on things other than bread:  arepas, flattened tostones, bao, waffles, rice cakes.

I'm glad to see that the new "low carb" option is going to be something other than lettuce!! Sometimes I want a bit of the bread without a whole slice.

Buzzwords for 2012

Fresh sardines. Uni. Yuzu. Tamarind. Kalbi. Bao. Bibambap. Bulgogi. Huacatay. Bone Marrow. Ox tail. Duck. Flowers. Hibiscus. Arepas. Coconut oil. Goat meat. Shiso. Green papaya. Seaweed.  Ultra-long dry aging of meat.  Lamb ribs and belly. Hand-made ricotta and burrata. Micro-distilleries. Exotic bitters on the bar.

Coconut oil!! Yay! I hope that the bad rap it's been given starts to go away. I've seen nothing but good things from coconut oil. Seriously! It's good for you inside and out.

There are plenty more to read about in the actual article: Here


Which trend are you most excited about in the coming year? Is there one you're dreading? Tell us about it in the comments!!

Why I Chose Beachbody 2

Another common thing I've heard (and SAID) about becoming a Beachbody Coach is: "I'm not in shape! How can I coach others if I'm not in great shape?"

You know who makes the best coaches? Success stories. Seriously. 

Think about who you'd rather take advice from...someone that started TurboFire looking like Chalene Johnson OR someone that started out looking like an average person that ended up looking like Chalene Johnson?

Personally, seeing fit people become even more fit does nothing but annoy me. Yeah, great, you were in great shape and now you're in greatER shape. Blah Blah Blah. I'm inspired by shows like The Biggest Loser or Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition. 

And you know what? Most of America is like me. We like to know that we can go from flab to fab. We like to see other people struggle and succeed...because it helps us know that when we're struggling we can succeed too. 

So don't let your current level of fitness stop you! Everyone has to start somewhere!

Stair Workout

Seriously. I challenged myself to get a quick workout in using nothing but my stairs and imagination. I did and I feel it today!

Equipment:
- Timer (I used my phone)
- Stairs (You could probably use a small set but I have an upstairs so it's a large set)
- Workout clothes if you want...I put on a sports bra and didn't change out of my jeans.

Workout:
These are each done in 1min increments. The cool thing is that if you're less in shape you can half it (30s each) and if you're in great shape you can double it (2min each).

- Running stairs (up and down)
- Pushups (Lean forward on the stairs)
- Forward Bends (I stood at the bottom and touched the bottom step. Kind of like a dead lift...do it slowly)
- Deep Squats (Again, standing at the bottom. Squat down until you're almost sitting on the bottom step. Knees over toes.)
- Plyo Step Ups (Kind of like this: http://youtu.be/2-IvoOYxt04 But I wasn't jumping as high. Just tap and switch)
- Regular Step Ups (30s each leg http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercises.asp?exercise=25)
- Crunches (I laid on the floor and put my legs on the stairs at a 90 degree angle...so for me that was laying them on the 2nd step)

DONE! Try it!

Military Time

If you're military (either you or your spouse) this post is aimed at YOU!

I know that it's near impossible for spouses to find good work. Some branches move every couple of years. It takes about that long to really get established in a company. If you hold a professional degree (law or medical for example) those are state specific. So, if you're a lawyer in Texas and get moved to Minnesota you have to start all over. It's crazy.

That's where having your own business comes in handy!

You *could* got to another company (a few makeup ones come to mind...) but those have been around so much longer and the market is SATURATED with consultants!

Beachbody is still new enough that getting in NOW means getting in closer to the ground floor. Those people that got involved in Mary Kay in the company's first 10 years of business are doing pretty well for themselves...

That could be YOU with Beachbody!

Now, I'm sure you're asking, "Okay...what does military have to do with it?"

Here's a "secret"...

It's FREE for military

I know. Cool, huh. Active military OR their spouse can sign up to coach for FREE. No sign up fee and no monthly fee. Just a free business opportunity. Most companies require a start up fee of $200 or more. (Even if you're NOT military the start up fee with BB is still only $40)


EMAIL ME to get in on this!

Dessert!

Today for dessert I had:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Peas
- Red Radishes
- NonFat Yogurt
- Wheatgrass
(Oh, and all of the veggies were RAW)


Gross, right?

Actually....it was chocolate flavored...

I made a chocolate Shakeology pie!
- 1 graham pie crust
- 15oz of cream cheese (I used vegan because my son can't have the dairy)
- 2 scoops of Chocolate Shakeology
- Enough milk to make it easy to pour

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor (If you're using a blender do half at a time or make sure you have an awesome blender...or you'll be there awhile!) Pour into the pie crust and refrigerate until "firm." (I added the quotes because I couldn't wait until it was really firm!!)

Seriously. All of the benefits of Shakeology in a PIE?! Yes please! It's sweet just like a fattening chocolate pie. Make this for your holiday party and everyone will love it and you won't ruin your diet!


Learn More:






Linking up!

Why I Chose Beachbody 1

I'm going to do this in a series. I hope to give you some insight into my reasons for choosing this company. If you have any questions or thoughts you'd like me to discuss please share them with me!

"I refuse to start a job that I have to pay for first."

This was said to me (well, that basic thought) on vacation this past week. I wanted to discuss this one first because it's SO common!

Yes, to start Beachbody there's a fee and a monthly fee (unless you're active military or a spouse...) However, you can choose what you spend to start! The basic package is only $40.

Let's be honest, all jobs have an initial investment and a monthly fee. They don't call it that...Most jobs require a uniform of some kind. Several will require you to purchase specific items of clothing (specific shoes or pants for example). Some may require training materials. That's a start-up fee! For a monthly fee you'll spend more than $15 a month on gas...even MORE if you start eating lunch out!

With Beachbody you can "work" in places you already visit! (Think the grocery store, post office, playgroup, etc...) You can also work in unconventional work clothes! If I share Beachbody with someone while dressed in sweatpants and tennis shoes it works FOR me (because I could be going to or coming from a workout) instead of looking unprofessional!


What are some of your thoughts/concerns about Beachbody?