"What moves me..." PART 1

Not long ago, I was asked to offer some tips on staying motivated through this lifestyle that is the fit and well life. My very first response was GOALS! You gotta have a goal if you want anything in your life to change. I think setting goals is the obvious first suggestion that motivational experts default to--and justifiably so. It WORKS!! However, I'll save that sentiment for another blog.

I realized that the best tip (while not new by any stretch) I could possibly offer was the one that I most often followed myself--submit yourself to the music.

Let music MOVE you.

I meant this not only as a physical means of motivation, but also an emotional, mental and spiritual one. Naturally, if you're looking to be physically motivated, there is music that is so very good at getting you there. Now, I'm a rock and roll gal all the way, but there are some majorly awesome dance tunes that stir me and get me moving--as well as other genres of music. IT'S ALL FAIR GAME! Some music is ideal for running or walking; some dancing; some just jumping and being a total spaz. I will mention that a lot of these songs are ones that were on my Boston Marathon Training Playlist...so they're ideal to run at varying paces. And don't laugh! I love every single one of these songs...even if they date me a little bit!

RAWK MUSIC THAT MOVES ME --(in no particular order)-- PHYSICALLY

1. "Skeptics and True Believers" --The Academy Is...
2. "Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams" --Green Day
3. "Packt Like Sardines..." --Radiohead
4. "The Procession" --The Dear Hunter
5. "Muse" --Hysteria
6. "I'm Your Destiny" --Edna's Goldfish
7. "Atomic" --Blondie
8. "Dancing with Myself" --Billy Idol
9. "Sweetness" --Jimmy Eat World
10. "You Don't Wanna" --Tricky (This song transcends genre!!)
11. "Song 2" --Blur
12. "Can't Wait One Minute More" --Civ
13. "Coffee Mug" --Descendents
14. "Love Like Winter" --AFI
15. "Swagger" --Flogging Molly
16. "Sound System" --Operation Ivy
17. "And it Rained All Night" --Thom Yorke
18. "Eye of the Tiger" --Survivor
19. "I Ran" --Flock of Seagulls
20. "Mass Pike" --Get Up Kids
21. "Frustrated Unnoticed" --Damone
22. "Neighborhood #3" --The Arcade Fire
23. "Such Great Heights" --The Postal Service
24. "True Believers" --The Bouncing Souls
25. "C'Mon, C'Mon" --The Von Bondies
    
26. "I'm Walking on Sunshine" --Katrina and the Waves
    
27. "She is Beautiful" --Andrew W.K.
28. "15 Steps" --Radiohead
29. "Bad Reputation" --Joan Jett
30. "Jane" --The Loved Ones
31. "Love Type Thing" --Tegan & Sara
32. "Dr. D" --The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
33. "Out Here All Night" --Damone
34. "Looking for a Song" --Big Audio Dynamite
35. "Linoleum" --NOFX
36. "Dogs and Chaplains" --The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
37. "Roots, Radicals" --Rancid
38. "Upward Grind" --Avail
39. .............

OK, you get the picture. This is just a flavor of what I mean.......put on your favorite tunes and

M O V E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<3

One of the most PHENOMENAL weekends of my life!

December 5 & 6 marked a rather huge turning point in my journey to becoming a fitness instructor. I attended a training called "All Star Presenter Camp." The idea is to allow fitness instructors of any and all formats the opportunity to improve on their presentation, teaching, motivation, etc. for their classes. There is nothing like this training anywhere else in the fitness world. Even though I am not yet an instructor and have never taught a fitness class before, I thought taking this class would give me, if nothing
else, a sense of the expectation--not only from potential students, but also from people within the industry.

It was an incredible eye-opening experience. I got to teach 3 minutes of a Turbo Kick class--wearing a mic and everything! I learned SO many skills that I think I would not have otherwise known were important aspects of teaching a group fitness class.

The coolest part?!?! I made friends from around New England and the Mid-Atlantic states who I know I can count on for encouragement and support. We were all coming from different walks, and that's what made every person's presence there special.

It was definitely the most phenomenal weekend of my life.

If I knew then, what I know now...

Being a Team Beachbody Independent Coach was bound to happen as part of my journey to become a group fitness instructor. It was Turbo Jam, a Beachbody-released program, that got me started on my journey in the first place. It was what got me LOVING fitness. So, naturally, in my own transformation process, it made sense for me to position myself to support and encourage others, too.

What I didn't expect was all of the support I would recieve in the process as well! I am an active part of Team Beachbody!!

Being a Club member allows me to customize a meal plan to accomodate my fitness regimen. Including a shopping list for all the meals designed for me.

I log my workouts in the SuperGym and have workout buddies from all over the country and Canada! It allows me to be accountable to them when they invite me to workout with them. There's a cool down chat room and support message boards galore! I'm so blessed to be a part of this community.

But I think the thing that suprised me the most was Shakeology.

I was absolutely floored when I tried Shakeology. I first tired the Greenberry flavor thinking I was going to dislike it. I had been told it had a "wheat grass" flavor to it, so I was expecting it to be kind of bland. I remember thinking, "Thank goodness they have a chocolate flavor!" But I LOVED IT! Not only was it flavorful, but it was filling!

What the heck is Shakeology?!?!?!?

Check it out for yourself! Believe me. It's amazing.

If I knew when I joined the Club how amazing Shakeology was, I wouldn't have waited until NOW to get it! (But it doesn't hurt to have the coach discount to get it home direct!) :-)

I plan to use one shakeology shake a day in place of either lunch or dinner. A month's supply saves me anywhere from $2-$7 for that meal. Generally, I spend anywhere from $7-$12 on lunch everyday. Shakeology works out to be $5 a lunch! Woot!


STILL don't believe me? Read a recent blog from a straight-up fitness expert:
MY SHAKEOLOGY APOLOGY