Help for Extreme P90X Moms Part One

Hey P90X moms! Help is on its way : )
This is part one of a series of videos to give you a little insight about how P90X works. I get so many emails from moms that get so frustrated and I want to give you some reassurance that you can and will reach your goal.

Sorry about the video quality. I am in the market for a better web cam...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Also...early in the AM no make up...lol.

Part 2 will be on nutrition. I just saw today on the P90X fan site (fb) a coach that is claiming to have done P90X without the nutrition...I am 100% sure that is not the case. He may have his own way of getting the results, but I am sure it is not from eating lots of trans and saturated fatty foods.

I hope this helps! Hang in there and keep pushing play : )) Bring It!!!

Nutrition...the Dealio Part 1.

Ok, you have started a great fitness program like P90X, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Slim In 6, etc.
You are ready to make a big change with your body.

BUT...
What are you eating?

If you have some pounds to shed a little or a lot, the bottom line is the same. In order for your fitness program to work, rather you are working out at home... or in a gym with a personal trainer... you have to eat healthy. I know, it does not seem fair because we are so used to the convenience of eating fast food, but we have to do it...all of us!

When I started working out, I had the P90X nutrition guide to help me and it is excellent. But sometimes we need a little extra help. It is hard to make the transition from junk food and eating out to cooking healthy at home. Not to say you can't eat healthy out, but I think if you are more hands on with your foods you learn more quicker and make better choices.

You have to make sure that you are taking in enough food too. I don't know how many times people have asked me for advice and some of them just don't understand how they are not losing weight because they are working out so hard 5 days a week and only eat 1200 calories.

You are starving yourself! Your body should never go without the proper amount of calories. For example if you are working out with a program like P90X, you should always take in a minimum of 1800 calories.

It is do able even if you are a working mom and always on the go. No, not from 100 calorie packs. Everyone needs to eat 6 meals a day. Three regular and healthy snacks in between. This is how the body stays fueled all day. Baggies are my friend : ) Nuts, fruits, veggies...whatever it takes. You gotta get those in between healthy snacks in there if you are working out especially.

You need protein, Carbs, and fat...yes fat. These are the three macro nutrients. They all have a purpose for making energy in your body function. That does not mean go buy chips cause you need fat. There are good fats and bad fats.

I am talking the fats from nuts, avocados, fish, certain oils like olive, etc. That is the ticket. Stay away from anything that has trans fat. And keep saturated fats at a low. Look at the labels on foods. If something has any hydrogenated oils, that is a form of trans fat. The FDA only requires a label to list it as trans fat if it has more than 0.5 grams.
So no trans fat may not always be the case. You add a couple or more serving sizes together and you are talking not a low fat food.

When working out, you want to fuel the body with carbs pre workout and build those muscles and bones back up post workout with some protein. If you are a dairy lover, low fat chocolate milk is a great inexpensive after workout snack. Some yogurt topped with a little nuts and berries is a nice before snack.

Try and have a breakfast that includes all three macro nutrients. Do not skip breakfast! Your body has not been fueled for most likely more than 8 hours. It is while you are sleeping that your body does most of its repair work. I will put it this way, if you get up in the morning and your car is out of gas and you try to make it go...what happens? Nothing! Your body feels the same way. If you don't breakfast, by lunchtime when you eat, possibly 80% of what you eat may be stored as fat. It is called survival or starvation mode. Even if you are not a breakfast eater, try to get something in your tummy within an hour or so after hopping out of bed.

I am not a perfect or totally clean eater, but I do generally stay in the to three tiers of Michi's Ladder. I get great results, but I am sure if I ate even cleaner I would see even better results. Someday...maybe : )

This is part one of my nutrition tips. The next time I will talk protein,carbs,and I will give you my favorite healthy snacks list more in detail.If anyone would like to know more about Michi's Ladder, you can email me or join Team Beachbody for free and get a copy. http://www.beachbodycoach.com/artistmom4 (click join and then try for free)

Commitment...How Can I Keep Mine?

I think all of us moms out there want to feel better, look better, and have a ton more energy. How is it that some of us are able to start a fitness program,eat healthy, and stick to it but some of us fall short?

What makes a commitment stick???

Part 1

First I think there has to be a strong motivation and why needs to be asked.

My why was strong and at the time it started was a "do or die" situation. Not all of us have those moments. So how can we make them a strong motivation? A life changing moment.

If you are a mom, you probably don't always consider your own needs. That is the first mind set that needs to change. If you are unhealthy and practicing unhealthy habits, then you may not always be around for your kids and you are setting a poor example for your kids. I know...harsh, but true.

Set a small goal for yourself, a baby step if you will then you are more likely to reach that goal.

Educate yourself on fitness and good nutrition. There are many resources and even real people that have been there or even still working on their fitness and nutrition goals for free here on the Internet! Never be afraid or shy about asking for help.

Don't listen to negative remarks from friends and relatives. They are either not educated on the subject themselves or even a little jealous that you are committing and they are not able to as of yet.
It goes back to the mean high school girl syndrome...They never gave themselves a chance to get to know you or understand what you were all about before they judged, they looked at the outside but they were really exposing the frustration they had on their insides...make sense?

If you are around others that don't have the same mind set as far as weight loss or eating healthy, don't fall to peer pressure. You can sit at a table with them and eat healthy and shy away from that drink. You are leading by good example. Maybe even get them to think twice about changing their lifestyle.

If you can, find a buddy to reach your goals together. Sometimes spouses are really great for this.Great for your relationship and your kids get to see their parents working together as a team.
Nothing like a little heated competition...HOT!

Workout groups are a great way to start getting active. There are probably free or very low cost workouts in your area where you live. Check out your local paper. Gyms have several of these too and you don't always have to be a member, you can buy a day pass to try one out very affordable.

Your long term goal is not going to happen overnight! That is why shorter more attainable goals are best. Rome was not built in a day and neither is your body.
Do your best and forget the rest (Tony Horton).

Set a small goal like going through your cabinets and replacing snacks when you go to the store with healthier options. Then make a goal of eating totally healthy for a week, see how it feels. Then add three days of a low impact exercise , walking, or bicycling about a half hour each time. Then keep going and after you have a month behind you, up the goal a little.

The key about exercise is finding something that is fun to do for you. Whether it is an extreme fitness program like P90X, dancing like Zumba or Turbo Jam, or the gym...if it is not fun for you then you are not likely to stick to it.
Think back to what you enjoyed as a kid, sometimes there is an answer in there.

Biggest excuse is..."I don't have time"...there are even programs that work on the theory of interval training. Short burst of going all out and getting the heart rate up then short breaks and go again. One such program is 10 Minute Trainer. Each workout is 10 minutes, but you can do an hour at a time if you want to by stacking the workouts in the dvd set. Everyone can afford 10 minutes...what I really mean is you can not afford to not give up 10 minutes to exercise.

Boredom is another factor. It happens alot, you start a program and you are doing great. But then you just lose interest in that program or you don't see the results fast enough. First of all, if you get bored either push the mute button and play your own music if you are working out to a dvd or try something else. Second, like I said above, you cannot expect instant results. In females, the waist is generally the last thing to go. You probably did not get in the shape you are in now in a short time and it will take time to get back into shape.

It takes about 3 months for someone to change from a small goal taker to making a semi lifestyle change. It takes a good year at least for someone to take that lifestyle and make it a permanent lifestyle change. It is not easy for most. It takes a dig deep type of person. A warrior, but you have kids so you know you are all that already. But it can be done!

Lastly today...
Do Not Get Frustrated Easy! If you have done programs in the past like Weight Watcher's, Dvd workouts, Personal Gym Trainer, bought many pieces of home equipment etc...and they did not end up being a permanent success...DON"T LOOK BACK!
Get your mind right ans start fresh. Everyone can makes positive changes, it is just a matter of finding the right combination for you. There is no "one size fits all diet" and a fitness regimen that works for your friend may not be for you.

One place you can always go and find help is facebook. Strange but true. In my community of fb friends there are literally hundreds of people willing to help you for free with your nutrition and finding a fitness program that works for you. They will motivate you and keep you accountable.

I really could go on and on. I will have part 2 coming up soon. In the meantime, I would love to hear from moms out there that do exercise and find out what your tips for staying committed are. Email me : getfitwithartistmom@yahoo.com
I would like to use them in a future blog with your permission and give you credit for your ideas.

Don't forget...Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC Friday @ 8pm eastern.

For info on fitness programs for any age and every fitness level: Http://www.beachbodycoach/artistmom4

Food Revolution!

How many out there caught Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution Sunday?

If you did not, here is a rundown of the show. Jaime is a celebrity chef that happens to have a goal to change the way America eats. This reality show is his way of making baby steps towards this goal by visiting different cities in America and going into schools and helping them change the menus and one on one interaction with families that have been making bad food choices and help educate and change their eating habits. Eat healthier America!

His first project had the title last year of "Most Obese and Unhealthy Town in America" and this is based on national death statistics. It also just happens to be my hometown where I was born and raised, Huntington WV. I live here so I completely understand why we most likely had the title. You don't really have to look too deep, there is the visual of every other person walking around here obese. I was one three years ago.
Like any disease or addiction, the first step is to find out "why". This is a very financially depressed town partly due to the lack of stable and gainful employment and the fact that the health care for adults here...well..it just sucks. Who can afford insurance if you don't make enough money but to make ends meet and live from paycheck to paycheck. There are many stereotypes and jokes about this area. But as we all know, stereotypes are based on many truths.

Unfortunately, when a person is depressed and stressed about work and money or lack there of, we eat sometimes. Or here...alot! And it is not like we want to be this way, we just can't help it. We are not the only town in America with these struggles, we just have been like this pretty much in the whole history of our state.

For many here, entertainment and recreation is the food. Many sit at a restaurant with friends waiting anxiously for the yummy deep fried appetizers (yes more than one), then the main course, and then the unbelievable irresistible dessert. Not to mention my fellow Huntingtonians order many alcohol beverages while waiting for the food. It is sad, but there is also a reason that our local hospital is one of the top heart hospitals in the nation. Think about it, the hospital gets funding based on statistics to buy the newest equipment and hire the best Doctors. It is a vicious cycle.

The only way to fix this is changing our bad habits and undoing all the damage that fast food and sedentary lifestyle has bestowed upon us in the last couple of decades. Plus with the aid of preventive health care, I think we can make major changes, eventually.

But where to begin? Whom does it start with? I believe it is us parents that have the responsibility to lead by good example. I say this all the time, but it is so true. Kids are great followers. That is why they eat the bad stuff. They watch us doing it, they see friends doing it, and the schools (most of them) give them that garbage to eat daily. You can make any healthy food unhealthy vice verse. Unhealthy food can be made healthy.


Enter Chef Jaime Oliver

He came to my town so excited and thinking, why wouldn't we want to change our title or at least pass it on to someone else. Oh, how he was wrong. What he met in the beginning was a resistance that could scare the fur off a bear. All people heard was a stranger was coming to make us look bad, once again. Now, Jaime did not know that we had many opportunities in the past to bring the positive spotlight to us and every time , we got burned and ended up the butt of a joke. So, for many here in Huntington, I think they assumed this was the same "dealio". Here this foreigner was storming in with crazy ideas saying we "was" fat and our kids were too and it was ALL our fault...how dare he! What they were not hearing was..Hi, my name is Jaime. I helped my own country of England and its children change many of their eating habits and saved who knows how many adult and child lives because of this and now, I really want to help you! At least that is what I heard.

If you want to watch the show, it will be on again Friday (March 26th) on ABC. The first two episodes, you will see exactly what I am saying. Our local paper and radio were absolutely jaded by the fact that he was a celebrity. It is funny though, I have to wonder, if we had, say a person that was picked to be on Biggest Loser, I bet my left arm that it would be the opposite reaction. We even have a local Biggest Loser show here on our NBC station. I think the difference is that those people chose individually to come out and ask for help. Jaime came here telling Huntington...you need my help.

I loved the fact he came here. You will see in the following weeks of the show, he does make steps that have changed my town hopefully permanently. Time will tell. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for implementing positive changes to this community.

I hope to do the same at my small level and work individually with my fellow townspeople, especially the kids. It all starts with them. If I can help one parent and that parent changes their families habits, and their kids carry that on to the next generation...before you know it, I have helped an small army. Yes, an army of fit and healthy kids and their parents.

I hope you get a chance to watch the show, it does not look like it in the beginning, but it really will have a happy ending : )

Have a great week and get fit and eat healthy!

Email me with any questions or comments: getfitwithartistmom@yahoo.com

Jennifer

Attention All Moms, Help Is On Its Way!

Hello everyone! My name is Jennifer and I am a mom of four children. Two are adults and two are still with me at home age 5 and 14. I am a stay at home mom right now, but was a muralist before my daughter was born. So I have experiences in both being a full time out of the house working mom and one that stays home with young children.

I am very passionate about fitness and good nutrition and in the last year have become a fitness and motivation coach to help others get healthy and fit.
My real passion is kids and fitness. As parents, we are responsible for leading by good example when it comes to those two subjects. In the past three decades, we have become so dependent on convenience. And we have fallen into a sedentary lifestyle. With a drive through for everything from banking, pharmacy needs, to fast food we have just lost our fitness mojo.

It is time to get it back and face the facts. In a recent study, 2/3rds of American adults are obese or overweight and 1/3rd of our kids are obese or overweight. This gives risks to diseases like diabetes and heart disease. It is not too late!

I am initiating a "call to arms" for all moms out there who want to help me turn this around. I was not always this motivated. In fact I had never done any kind of workout program or had a serious intention of eating healthier until three years ago. My parents both passed away within 6 months of each other from basically living unhealthy lifestyles at age 57. Needless to say, I was very depressed and started thinking...was I next? So I started the program P90X. I followed the nutrition that came with the program and finished feeling absolutely alive. I had a second chance to start living a healthier lifestyle...not a fad diet or a temporary fix...a healthy LIFESTYLE!

I have created this blog to help other moms fit exercise and good nutrition into their lives as well as their kids lives. I will have blogs, articles, and tips from myself and other mommies out there with the same issues and lifestyles that want to share.

I am an Independent Beachbody Coach also, so I can help new moms who are interested in starting a fitness and nutrition program too. Need a little nudge or daily motivation...I can help! If you have any concerns or questions about fitness or nutrition, email me and I will get back with you ASAP. getfitwithartistmom@yahoo.com

Most important, let fitness be a fun thing that you incorporate in your daily schedule. You will feel more energized and your kids will see you making the effort and want to get active too.

On the side of this blog page there is a list of links to my other blog sites, coach page, and facebook page. Info for everyone!

Coach Jennifer