Project "Me"

Not sure how it happens but after having kids most of us lose ourselves.  We have less time to focus on ourselves.  Instead we let ourselves fall to the bottom of the important list of things to focus on in our daily lives.  We become "Mom", "Mommy", "Gavin's Mom", "Maxwell's Mom", "Nick's wife" etc.   We are more worried about getting the kids to school, kids sporting events, kids activities, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, food shopping, cooking dinner, doing homework with the kids, taking care of the dog, getting the kids ready for bed and the list goes on.  Over the years we tell ourselves we don't have time to workout, we don't have time to focus on our nutrition, we just don't have time to focus on being "BreAnn".  We all have a little voice in our head tell us well I need to do something but we are not sure what it is and even when we find it we just tell ourselves that it probably won't work, I will probably fail or that program won't "work" for me.  Instead we turn to what is quick, easy and over time the woman we used to be some how gets lost.  Don't get me wrong, I would never trade in the "Mom" card.  I love these two little boys with all my heart and don't know where I would be without them but I also know how important it is to take care of "Me".  I noticed that once I started taking care of me, is when I became a better mom, wife, friend.

Most of my challengers are also fellow moms and a lot of my challengers tell me that they hit a point in their lives when enough is enough and they need to start focusing on taking care of themselves.  They want to look and feel like they did before having kids.  Most of my challengers also tell me how important it is to them to set a good example for the little ones in their life.  For me, I totally get that.  Not only do my kids see me workout daily but they want to join in on the fun.  They also see me making smart choices with nutrition.  We do not deprive our kids of snacks or treats but I can also say that my kids eat very healthy meals.  They try new foods and pretty much eat what we eat.  

This new lifestyle is not always easy and yes I have days that I slip and fall but I do know that I feel so much better inside and out when I am focusing on "Me"!  I am definitely a work in progress, as we all are.  I just keep taking one day at a time to focus on "Me".  

I am looking for other moms, mommas, mommies out there that are ready to start focusing on themselves for a change!  Fill out the application below for more information regarding my next challenge group is "Project Me".  I want to help you find that woman that is itching to come out! 

Are you ready?  

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Christmas Cookies - White Chocolate Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies...Yummy!!

Each year I make a lot of Christmas cookies!  I don't mean 3 or 4 different kinds, I am talking about 10-12 different kinds.  I know I am crazy but I love doing it and it has become my tradition.  It is the one time during the whole year that I do this too :)  This year is no different!

I like to try new recipes and make some of our families favorite ones from past years too. I have been trying to bake 2 or 3 kids each evening.  I am sure you are thinking...what does she do with all of these cookies.  Well...of course my family and I eat some of them but I also give away a lot of them.  Family Christmas parties, friends, family members, teachers and we save some for our New Years Eve party too!  

I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite kinds from this year.  The first one is a new one this year and let me tell you it is YUMMY!!!  Probably one of my favorites!  It is chewy melt-in-your-mouth oatmeal cookies bursting with blueberries and layers of white chocolate and coconut. These will amaze you!  They will definitely make the list next year too!!

Let me know what you think if you are lucky enough to get to try one of these from me or if you make them yourself!!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded coconut flakes
• 2.5 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, coarsely chopped (a little over 1/2 cup)
• frozen organic blueberries (you'll need 2 blueberries per cookie, so around 40-50 blueberries)

Preheat  oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Beat together melted coconut oil and brown sugar until smooth. Add in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; beat again for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Stir in flour & oat mixture to the wet ingredients; mixing until well combined. Slowly fold in coconut and white chocolate chunks. Use a cookie scoop to gather a large rounded tablespoon of dough. Flatten the dough in the palm of your hand and add two blueberries on top, roll dough back into a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with each dough ball then place cookies on cookie sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 10-13 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes on baking sheet until the cookies firm up a bit. Transfer to a wire rack to allow cookies to cool completely. Makes 2 dozen.

The Struggle is Real for "Me" too!!

Let's go back one year ago and take a look at me.  Most of you would look at the picture below and think that I looked fine and didn't need to lose much weight.  You are correct, I didn't have a lot of weight to lose but I was not happy in my own skin.  I didn't feel confidant in a bathing suite and really wanted to shed those extra pounds after my last pregnancy.  The sad thing is that no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't lose it!

 *Picture take in Sept 2015*

Most of you know that I am runner and I LOVE it but no matter how often I ran or how long my runs were it just wasn't cutting it.  One of the main reasons for this was because I ate like shit!!  I would drink soda and eat junk all the time!  I became addicted to those things, needing them every day just like an addict needs alcohol and/or drugs.  I just didn't know how to stop the vicious cycle.  I had tried many times but would fail and the cycle would start again.  The really sad thing was that I would hide this from my family and friends.  No one really knew that I struggled with this every day.

Finally in April, 2015 I knew I had to change something.  I started to really watch what I was eating and I was able to lose a couple pounds for my summer vacation but I was not where I wanted to be.  In June 2015 I decided join a 21 Day Fix Challenge Group.  This was my second attempt.  I failed my first attempt :(  The second time was different.  I was committed 110% and I wanted to change my lifestyle and feel comfortable in my own skin.  After two weeks into the program I decided I wanted to continue with this journey not only as a challenger myself but as a coach.  I wanted to help others like me!   

In Aug 2015 after two rounds of the 21 Day Fix Extreme program, I finally had abs and toned up my whole body.  I have NEVER had abs before in my life.  Not even before kids!!  I finally felt amazing on the inside and out.  I had confidence that I never had before and I was so proud of myself!

*Aug 2015*

*Aug 2015*

*Aug 2015*

In Oct 2015 I got a little too confident with my progress and decided that I could have a cookie here, party snack there and a few too many glasses of wine!  Within about 2 to 3 weeks I had gained a few pounds back and started to notice the my stomach wasn't how it looked in Aug and Sept.  I also started to feel how I felt a year ago about myself.  What was I doing, I just worked so hard and why would I let everything go just for a few to many cheat days!!  I have to admit that I am human and the struggle is also real for me just like it is for everyone else out there.  Yes, I get up and workout every day and try to eat as clean as I can but sometime life does get in our way (parties, dinners out, Birthdays, Holidays and the list goes on).  We have to be aware of this and continue even when we fall off the wagon. 

Right after Halloween another coach and I decided to give the Ultimate Reset a try.  God knows I needed it!  The picture above was taken on Day 1 ( Nov 5th).  

This program has truly been amazing and has tested my limits!  Today is my last day of the Ultimate Reset and I can't wait to share my journey with all of you.

Here is a sneak peak of my progress in just 15 days...
Stay tuned for my Ultimate Reset review!! I will be posting my journey on Sunday, November 29th. I will review the whole program, post pictures and recipes of the food I ate, my achievements and struggles over the last 21 days!

Fill out the application below for more details about the different challenge groups I have coming up in Dec 2015 and Jan 2016!  I would love to help stop the vicious cycle and take a step towards achieving your health and fitness goals!  

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Transformation Tuesday, Nov, 2015

You all see me post about health and fitness everyday and I know most of you think I am crazy but when I hear stories like this one, it just clarifies what I am doing and the passion I have even more!! Michele Brandt is an amazing lady, wife, mommy and friend!! Her story below is so inspiring and I am so grateful that she trusted me (she was one of my first challengers in my first challenge group). My heart is overflowing tonight!! What an amazing day! "Thank you" Michele!!

Dear family and friends,
I want to share something very personal and important to me and my family...
As you all know I live and lead a Very FULL life! (Sometimes, too full...)
- married to a wonderful guy
- mother to 2 fabulous children, ages 6 and 10
- work full time, traveling the Northeast Territory of the U.S.
- involved in my community & with OneSight
- in order to keep the energy going, I would lean on a MINIMUM of 6 large cups of coffee per day
- I could never find time to work out consistently over the last 2 years (how can I work out when I want to spend my free time with my kids, family and friends?)
- Often, I would only eat convenience food vs. healthy food causing me to gain over 60 pounds (Traveling for work by car and air on a weekly bases AND running the kids from activity to activity WERE MY EXCUSES)
Then, July 2015 it all changed....
My body started to shut down physically and mentally...
I could not function anymore: personally and at work...I was not able to give my all. I was overcafinated and just getting by. I was becoming sensitive to many foods and environmental factors causing me to break out with life threatening allergic reactions. My health sucked and I decided that I had HAD ENOUGH!
After working with my doctor I had come to realize that SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE, or I would not be around for my husband, children, family and friends.
Change was my decision at this point. I had to OWN IT. I had decided to reach out to a friend who was into health and fitness and asked her for help! In the end, I believe that she saved my personal and professional happiness! AND, QUITE POSSIBLY MY LIFE. THANK YOU BreAnn for everything!
Since August 9th, 2015:
- I eat very healthy now following an easy, clean and healthy eating plan
- I work out at least 30 minutes per day
- I have more energy now than I have had in a long time
- I am down to "0" cups of coffee per day... And I live to tell about it! Lol
- to wrap it up, as of today I am down 27 pounds and 33.6 inches ( remember, I started this program August 2015)
So, to pay this goodness forward I have decided to tell my story in order to possibly support others with changing their lifestyle to support their happiness and well being...
So, what about you?
Do your excuses sound similar to mine?
Personally?
Professionally?
What is your motivation?
And, what are your goals?
If you want to learn more about the program that my friend had helped me to join, please IM me! I would be happy to share with you what is working for me in order to get you moving forward!!!
I look forward to paying this amazing information and healthy lifestyle forward....
Talk to you all soon...
MB

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My "WHY"!!!

Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about my "why" for starting a Beachbody business. 

 Let me take you back to July 2015...I was in the middle of my first challenge group for 21 Day Fix Extreme.  I was 10 days into the program and on my way home from a trip to Philadelphia for my full-time job and I just couldn’t stop thinking about starting my own Beachbody business the entire ride home.  I thought my husband is going to think I am crazy, my family and friends are going to wonder how she is going to do it all?!    All I knew was that in 10 days the Beachbody program was working for me and I wanted to show others how easy it can be and help others make changes to their own health and fitness!!  As soon as I got home that night, I told my husband that I wanted to sign-up as a Beachbody coach and not for just the perks of being a coach (discounts on all the products) but that I wanted to be a working coach.  I wanted to continue my health and fitness journey and I wanted to help others too!!

For those of you that do not know me I am a wife, a mommy of two very busy boys (4 and 6), I work full-time as a Project Manager and I am also a Silpada Jewelry Rep.  Did I have the time to start a Beachbody business?  No way!  But, I felt something uniquely alluring about Beachbody.  I felt something special about having my own personal trainer through Beachbody.  And felt amazing about this program I was following to achieve my own health and fitness goals..  I knew right then that I wanted others to share in this journey with me.  The thought of failure didn't even cross my mind because all I wanted to do was continue my own health and fitness journey and teach others what I have been learning about living a healthy and active life!

I have been learning the business, running my own challenge groups and helping people feel better about themselves for the past 3 months.  Let me tell you, it has been nothing short of AMAZING!  I can't even describe how I feel every day about this new journey.  In just 3 short months I have helped a number of ladies lose their first 5 pounds while eating healthier and also helped a few people lose the last 5 pounds that they have been trying so hard to shed.  I would say that it is well over 100 POUNDS LOST and 100 INCHES LOST among the ladies I have helped.  That, to me, is so amazing!!  I am truly blessed that these ladies have trusted me to help them!!

One of the top reasons for starting my business, my "why", is to help men and women live a healthier and active lifestyle.  However, I have realized that my "why" has to be bigger than that!  It has to be something that keeps you up at night, and that drives you every day!  

Over the summer, my family and I went to the beach for a week.  I don't know about all of you but I personally LOVE the beach!!  My husband and kids love it too.  I have always wanted to take surfing lessons and I decided that during this summer vacation I was going to do it!  Cross one thing off my bucket list.  My oldest son also wanted to try it.  So we did, I signed us both up for private surfing lessons.  I would love to tell you that I rocked it out in the ocean, but I really didn't.  My son, on the other hand, looked like a pro.  He got right up and rode waves in every time.  My instructor was so impressed at how well he did for a 6 year old who never surfed before.  He told me about a friend that started surfing that young and was now an amazing, competitive surfer.  I told him that we lived 5 hours away from a beach and unfortunately my son would probably never have the opportunity to stick with it if he wanted.  After that day, I remember thinking and telling my husband how awesome it would be to be able to live at the beach in the summers. 

As I started thinking about my "why" I come back to this memory and know that I would love for my kids to experience these kinds of opportunities in their life.  To give the opportunity to become great at something that they normally wouldn't be able to do.  Who knows, these opportunities can present themselves anywhere, but it may present itself while living at the beach for the summer or it could end up being something else.   

This amazing opportunity for me is Beachbody.  I have this amazing opportunity to have a very successful business right in my lap.  This opportunity can give me the financial freedom to buy a beach house, quit my corporate job, take vacations when I want, give my kids the opportunity to experience new things and I'll be damned that I am not going to give it 110%!!

Why I am I telling you all of this?  It's because I am NO different than you and I want you to have this amazing opportunity too!  

I’ve been reading a book titled “Be That Girl” and it is filled with inspirational quotes.  The excerpt below really hit home with me in my Beachbody journey:

"For most people you have to get out there in the world, do things that scare you (whether it's auditioning for a play, taking a new class, or tagging along on a friend's adventure).  You have to trust that if you try enough things that something will hit home, and like a fire truck siren in your heart, you'll know!"  

For me that fire truck siren has been becoming a health and fitness coach!  As I look back over the past 3 months, I can see that Beachbody has changed me, that a fire has ignited in my soul and my passion-filled eyes are foreshadowing my adventure to come!!

Want to find out more about what I do, how I can help you achieve success, how to get you on a track to a healthier and more active lifestyle and how to SEE RESULTS?  Simply fill out an application and I will gladly reach out to you to discuss.

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Time for a change???

My first challenge group ended on Monday and the results are in!! This group of ladies did amazing!! The group lost a total of 22 pounds and 26.7 inches!! I am so proud of each of them and so happy that they have decided to continue with their health and fitness journey!!

Yesterday I kicked off the first day of my Fabulous, Fearless and Fit Challenge Group. I am so excited to have another amazing group of ladies that have taken their first step towards their health and fitness goals with me!!

My next challenge group will kickoff on Monday, Sept 21st (Prep-week) and will officially start on Monday, Sept 28th. 

-- If you are sick of feeling unhappy

-- Not like what you see in the mirror

-- Wish you had more energy

--Just ready for a change!! 

**If you answered yes to any of these questions then you don't want to miss this next challenge group!!!

I also need your help with naming my next challenge group

Here are a few names I came up with but would love your help!!

1. Drop it like its Hot

2. Commit to be Fit

3. Drop a Dress Size

Let me know what you think!!

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The Amazing Opportunity with Beachbody!!

Why did I sign up as a Beachbody coach?
1. To keep myself accountable, yes I still need my Beachbody team and my challengers to help me make the right health and fitness decisions each day!  You all know that I have an issue with junk food and still do love it but do not want to go back to eating it everyday and definitely not multiple times a day!
2.  I want to help others reach their own health and fitness goals by eating clean and working out.  In less than 2 months of being a coach I can already see that I am helping myself and others!!  I honestly feel so blessed that my friends have picked me to be their coach and take a step towards reaching their health and fitness goals.  My first challenge group is wrapping up and my next challenge group is starting on Monday, Aug 31st.  I went from 4 ladies in my first group to 12 in my second group!!  Ladies you know who you are and I can't wait to see you all rock this challenge group!!

During my first month as a coach I focused on getting training from my up-line and learning the ropes as a Beachbody coach.  The last 4 weeks I have started to see the amazing business opportunity that Beachbody has to offer and what you can make as a Beachbody coach!  I received my 4th paycheck on Thursday as a coach and I doubled what I made from my first week!!  I was truly blown away by this.  I am so excited to be part of the dream team with the #1 Coach in Beachbody and I was pretty excited to see that I was her number #2 Top Producer Coach for the past week!!

Why am I sharing all of this with you?  I want you all to see that anyone can do this.  I am super crazy busy (wife, mom of 2 boys, work a full-time job and I am a Silpada jewelry rep) and I am doing it!  I know that you all can do this too!!  You have the option to join my amazing team and get a 25% discount on your shakeology each month and future fitness programs or you can work the business like I am and put some extra cash into your pocket!!  It's a Win Win either way.

Here is an example of what you can make in just two short years of being an active coach.  This is from a coach that is just two levels above me.  She was able to leave her full-time job as a nurse at the age of 29 and be a full-time Beachbody coach!!

I am not making anywhere near what she is making but I sure am going to try my hardest to get there by Aug 2017!!  You can't tell me you wouldn't love to make that kind of money while helping others reach their health and fitness goals!!

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