30 Days of Thanks

It's November 1st. The month of giving and being thankful. In honor of my my favorite month and my absolute favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, I would like to challenge YOU to a 30 days of thanks challenge. 

This challenge will be done through Instagram. Each day, take a pic of something you are thankful for. Then tag it with #30daysofthanks and #learningtoloveme. Simple as pie. How many people can we get to participate?

I'll be posting my pics on IG and sharing them via FB. Here's my day 1:

I hope to see what you are thankful for this month!

<3,

Kell

Truth be told

There is NO way around this. Life is hard.

Last year, when I was an obese SAHM of two, I struggled to eat right and workout. This year, I am back to being a WOHM (teacher) of two (very busy) kids and wife to a crazy hubby! Now I struggle to find time to balance everything. 

• Working out.
• Meal prepping.
• Hanging out with my kids.
• Hanging out with my hubby.
• Sleeping.
• Talking to friends.
• Working my home business.
• Keeping everything straight at work (3 different schools).

Life is hard no matter what job you have. 

I'll admit, I've struggled a bit lately. Not to the point that I struggled this past April when I went back to work. Wanna know what happened then? Honestly, I didn't workout for 2 MONTHS straight! 

Yup - I'm admitting it. Life got the best of me. I ate clean, drank my shakeology, but I was just couldn't find the time to workout with everything else. Because of my clean eating and shakeology, I didn't gain a single pound back. IN fact, I lost another 3 pounds. Good thing that the words in this pic are true:

This fall it's a COMPLETELY different story. There is one thing that I REFUSE to negotiate on each day - my workout. I NEED it to function properly. I decided to do what I HATE doing. I wake up at 5am to workout. That's the only way I can GUARANTEE that I get my workout in. I also realized this:

BUT - You know what happened this morning? I had my alarm set for 4:50, 5:00, 5:05, 5:10, and 5:15. I turned ALL 5 ALARMS OFF! I woke up at 6:57 and had to get myself and my 15 month old ready to leave at 7:15. It was a CRAZY morning! But I did it.

Needless to say, I did NOT workout this morning. 

So, instead of falling into a "boo hoo, poor me" slump, I laced up as soon as I got home and NAILED Dynamic Core :) I feel like a new woman!

So, let the truth be told. COACHES AREN'T PERFECT. We are human and life gets in the way sometimes. We struggle daily too! It's all about how we deal with those little bumps that make us who we are. Are you going to let your little bumps define you or are you going to define who you are in spite of those little bumps?

<3,

Kell

Diamond Beachbody Coach

Last Labor Day

Labor Day 2012 was a very memorable one. We spent the entire weekend at my mom's house in Cochranton, PA. My Aunt Pam was home from Florida. My Aunt Nancy and her 3 kids, Katie, Blake, and Carrie, were home from Texas. Katie brought Jhovani (Jho), her main squeeze at the time, home to meet "the PA family". My son had just turned 3 and my daughter was almost 3 months.

We hung around the pool all weekend. We went for rides on the Gator. We went to the Stoneboro Fair. We ate a lot of junk. We drank a lot of beer. We did a lot of swimming and hanging out. Jho let it slip to us that he was planning to propose to Katie soon. All in all, it was an epic weekend.

Looking back, I don't remember all that fun stuff. You know what I remember? I remember how I felt. I felt ugly. I felt fat. I was depressed. Here's a picture of me to prove it. It's the only one of myself I have from the entire weekend.

Sure. I put on a smile and laughed with my family. But it was all fake. I was MORTIFIED to be in a bathing suit. My "Fat" suit didn't even fit me anymore. I'm talking about my bathing suit I wore the entire time I was PREGNANT! I had just bought some new "bigger" clothes, mainly pants. These pants didn't have zippers or buttons. They were elastic waisted. They were a size 20. My shirts were a 2xl. 

I was at the lowest point I had ever been. I don't even have a picture of me from that weekend because I REFUSED to be in pictures. That is when my husband knew I was in trouble. That was when he said something to me. 

He was worried. He was concerned. He saw me slipping and didn't know how to help me. 

To say that I was mad at him would be the understatement of a lifetime. I was HORRIFIED that my husband told me that I was fat. Yes. He used those words. I didn't understand it at the time but I do now. He had been trying to tell me nicely and gently for weeks. I wasn't listening. He couldn't get my attention.

Well, he got it. And I didn't talk to him for over a week.

When we got home, a friend of mine had posted a special just for teachers. It was a special on Shakeology. I was finally at the right time in my life to make a change. I was READY to do something. 

So, I messaged her about her deal. I was so afraid she would say I couldn't get the deal because I wasn't teaching at the moment. I was on maternity leave. I was so excited when she said that I could have the special! I paid her and my 5 trial packets arrived in the mail a few days later.

I drank one a day for 5 days and from that point on I was hooked. I had never felt better. I wasn't tired anymore. I wasn't craving bad foods anymore. 

But you know what? I was still SCARED. I was scared to commit because I was scared to FAIL. I even asked my friend "what happens if I DON'T succeed at this challenge?" and "what percentage of people have success?". 

She answered my questions for me and calmed my nerves. She talked me through picking a workout program that would be perfect just for me. I hated cardio and loved lifting weights, so ChaLEAN Extreme was the one I chose. I decided in that moment to commit. I left sight of the short. I stepped outside of my comfort zone.

I am so happy that a year ago this weekend the gears were put into motion to change my life. Getting me to making that commitment might not have been pretty. Feelings were hurt and I was embarrassed. My hubby was hurting because he caused me pain. 

BUT I am a better person for everything that went down that weekend. I thank my husband DAILY for having the courage to say something to me. He is the one who brought me out of my spiral. He showed me that I need to be healthy for my kids. He showed me that I need to be healthy so I can spend a LONG life with him.

So, the question I want to ask you is this:

Are you ready to commit? I mean REALLY commit?

Shakeology works. The workout programs work. Clean eating works. But none of it will really work unless YOU work. You have to put the effort in. You have to change your mind set. You have to be in the place I was a year ago, ready to make a change.

If you are there now, CONGRATS! I am here to help you succeed. If you aren't there yet, I will still be here to support you and when you are ready, I will be here to help you succeed. 

Ask me questions. Try a trial pack of Shakeology. Jump right in and purchase a challenge pack. Seriously - what do you have to lose? $160 and 20, 30, 40+ pounds? I don't know but that sounds pretty darn good to me.

Comment below or find me on Facebook when you are ready. I don't judge. I was there. I still struggle now. I am human and so are you!

Talk to you soon my friend!

Kell

personal FB page - www.facebook.com/kelly.elizabeth.com.71271

like FB page - www.facebook.com/klevere623

T25 Beta Week 1 Review

Last week was one of my FAVORITE weeks of working out EVER! Although I LOVED the Alpha Phase of T25, after 5 weeks, I was ready for some new workouts. I also knew that the Beta Phase involved weights. If you know me, you know that I LOVE lifting weights. It's my first love <3.

Before I give you my first week Beta review, I must remind you that the T25 sale is only good through this Saturday (8/31) at midnight. I you have though about doing T25 or think you might want to do it in the future - DO NOT HESITATE. Get your program today before the price goes up! Comment below or message me on FB (www.facebook.com/klevere623) to find out how to get your copy!

Ok - the review:

So, the week started out with Core Cardio. Since I just told you that I love weights, you would think that I hated this workout. Well, honestly, I was dreading it. But I was pleasantly surprised. The 25 minutes went by really quick and had me dripping with sweat!

Tuesday brought Speed 2.0. I enjoyed Speed 1.0 in the Alpha Phase. It had stretching which was nice. Speed 2.0 was a completely different animal. Shaun T didn't take the time to explain the moves or give you a nice slow start up. We jumped RIGHT in and went hard for 25 minutes. I loved it. Oh, and there's NO STRETCHING!

Wednesday brought Rip't Circuit. I will tell you right now, that this is my FAVORITE T25 workout thus far. It was fun. It was hard. It had some weight training in it. It was a challenge. It stole my heart :)

Thursdays workout was Dynamic Core. The first 10 minutes involved quite a bit of cardio. I must admit, I was disappointed in the first 10 minutes. I don't want to do a ton of cardio on Core days. I know it's important, but I really just want to work my core! After the first 10 minutes, Shaun T stepped up his game and BROUGHT IT! I'll admit, I even had to stop for a few seconds to take a breath sometimes! 

Friday brought Double Day Friday. I don't do double day Fridays cause I need to workout 6 days a week. So Friday I did Core Cardio again. I didn't nail it, but I did enjoy it!

Saturday was the workout I was really looking forward to. Upper Focus. I KNEW that Upper Focus used weights and used them a lot. You already know I love weights. I used 8 pound weights the entire way around. The only time they were a bit too heavy for me was when we were doing the front and side raises. For the rest of the workouts, 8's were just about perfect. I even thought about maybe upping my weights to 10's next time. Well, that was until I feel the day after (ok - two day after) burn. I could barely move my arms! I will be using 8's for one more go around ;)

I am so excited to continue this program. For real. I actually looking forward to working out! And the best part - I am done working out before I can talk myself out of it! Love it love it love it!

<3,

Kell

7 Day Shakeology Challenge

Shakeology. What is it? Why do I drink it? Why do I refuse to give it up? What does it taste like? What are some good recipes? Can I try it before I commit to a month supply?

These are questions I get ALL.THE.TIME.

So - here are my answers.

What is Shakeology?

First, let me tell you what shakeology ISN'T. Shakeology is NOT a protein drink or a weight loss shake. Ok - now we have that figured out, let me answer the question at hand.

Shakeology is a HEALTH shake. It is made of 70+ WHOLE food ingredients. Nothing fake. Nothing that is going to harm your body like every other shake out there. There's no artificial flavor. There's no artificial color. There's not even any GMO's and Beachbody is working on getting certified non-GMO! 

Did you know that the other shakes available don't list EVERYTHING that is in their shake? It's true. They don't tell you all of the ingredients. Beachbody DOES! Here's the nutritional information from the back of the new Vanilla Shakeology:

It took Beachbody 2 YEARS to come out with Vanilla Shakeology. It was because they couldn't find a vanilla flavor that stood up to their high standards. They wanted something non-GMO. They wanted something that was responsibly farmed. They finally found it in Madagascar. Check out this video introducing Vanilla:

Ok - so hopefully by now you know what Shakeology is. You can see ALL of the ingredients because they are listed in the picture above. So now on to the next two questions

Why do I drink Shakeology and Why do I refuse to give it up?

I was going to make a video about this but then something amazing happened this week. On Monday, the Beachbody CEO, Carl Daikler, spent the entire day answering live questions from coaches. During the day, this little video came out. It perfectly embodies why I drink shakeology daily. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel. Watch Carl's video:

 

Does that video answer some questions? I sure hope so! On to the next question:

What does it taste like?

This is one of the easier questions. 

• Chocolate tastes like, well, chocolate. There is no aftertaste. It's not too sweet. It curbs this choc-o-holic's cravings when they arise. 
• Greenberry tastes like Fruity Pebbles. Seriously - when it's just mixed with almond milk or water, it's doable! I mean, you have to get past the green color (which is hard for me to do) but it's REALLY good! It's even better if you blend in some orange extract and frozen fruit - YUM!
• Vegan Tropical Strawberry is one of my favorites. It's a tropical party in my mouth! I like to blend it with frozen strawberries and frozen mango. Best poolside drink of the summer! I will warn you though, the vegan varieties are a bit "grittier" than the regular flavors. This is because of the brown rice protein that is used. It's a bit different to get used to in the beginning, but everyone I know LOVES the vegan!
• Vegan Chocolate is just like the chocolate but vegan. Haha! I know - great explanation Kell! Like I mentioned above, it is slightly grittier because of the type of protein, but it's so good!
• Last, but certainly not least, is the new Vanilla Shakeology. For me to review this one, I have to be honest. I hate cows milk. I hate milkshakes. I was REALLY afraid that this new flavor was going to make me gag. Watch this video of my first taste of the new Vanilla Shakeology. After I shot the video, I went to the kitchen and added in frozen strawberries. It is now my favorite flavor!!!

Now for some recipes!!!


What are some good recipes? 
I'm going to list some below and you can also find them in the recipe section of my blog :)

Chocolate/Vegan Chocolate:

• Coffee Varieties:
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, 1/4 cup dark chocolate almond milk, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology  1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup cold coffee, 2T carob chips, 1/8 tsp mint extract, ice to taste, blend
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unsweetened almondmilk, blend
• Chocolate PB
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology  1 tbsp natural peanut/almond butter, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water, ice to taste, blend
• Chocolate Covered PB Banana
• 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 banana, 1T natural PB or almond butter, ice to taste, blend

Greenberry:

• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 2T pistachios, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice, 1 cup sparkling water, 1T fresh lime juice, 1 tsp agave nectar, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup frozen blueberries, ice to taste, blend
• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 frozen sliced banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, ice to taste, blend

Tropical Strawberry:

• Strawberry Frenzy
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen strawberries, ice to taste, blend
•  Pomegranate Splash
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup water, ice to taste, blend
• Strawberry Banana
• 1 scoop Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 frozen sliced banana, ice to taste blend

Vanilla:

• Vanilla Recovery
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 2 scoops R&R, 8oz water, 1 cup ice, blend
• Orange Dreamsicle
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 tsp orange extract, 1 cup almond milk, 1T grated orange peel, ice to taste, blend
• Tiramisu
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup cold coffee, 1T mascarpone or ricotta cheese, 1tsp unsweetened cocoa, 1/2 tsp rum extract, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ice to taste, blend
• Pumpkin Pie
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/2 cup canned pumpkin purree, 1 T coarsely chopped raw pecans, 1 tsp pure maple syrup or raw honey, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, ice to taste, blend
• Iced Mocha
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup cold coffee, 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa, ice to taste, blend
• Strawberry Mango Vanilla
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1/2 frozen mango, blend
• Vanilla Almond
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 T all-natural almond butter, ice to taste, blend 
• Blueberry Vanilla
• 1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen/fresh blueberries, ice to taste, blend

Last question - I promise!

Can I try Shakeology without committing to a full month supply?

Of course you can! All you need to do is email me, message me on FB, leave a comment here, or if you already have a coach - talk to them! We have 7 day trials that we can mail out to you! With the trial, you will get to participate in a closed FB group with others who are doing the same 7 day trial as you! You can swap shakeology recipes, tips, and meal plans. I will give you some pointers about how to tweak your diet a little to help you feel great!

So here it all is. Want in our next 7 day challenge? Message me! You have NOTHING to lose except some extra weight and that yucky, bloated feeling!

<3,

Kell

T25 week 3 review

This week I played catch up a bit. You see, week 1 of T25 was CRAZY for me. My MIL was in the process of looking for and putting in an offer on a condo. This is the first time she has EVER bought a house or even had a mortgage! First time for a mortgage at the ripe old age of 60? Man that's awesome!

Anyways - back on track. So I was over helping her quite a bit. I was up late and slept in a lot. I missed a few workouts. I was in a bad place. I get like that when I fall off track.

So, I picked myself back up, fessed up to my group, and have been playing catch up for the last two weeks. It hasn't been easy. No breaks and extra double days. But it's worth it. I AM WORTH IT.

As of today, I am officially caught back up. I am ready to start week 4 tomorrow on track with the rest of my group. I am excited and ready to go! I even made a meal plan for this week! Usually I have an idea in my head and make lots of healthy stuff to pick from during the week. I actually planned it out this week. It's gonna help me to succeed!

I am really enjoying the T25 program. My favorite part is still that it's ONLY 25 minutes a day! Yes, they want you to do "double down Fridays" but you don't have to. You can do one workout on Friday and the next on Saturday. I choose to do both Fridays.

My favorite workout is still Total Body Circuit but Speed 1.0 is catching up fast. It really is the stretching that makes Speed 1.0 so fun. Lower focus gets me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. It's rough and my legs SCREAM at me the next day.

I also love the ab workout but I have yet to do it without having my littles around. I hope that I get to do it this week all by myself. Then I won't have to stop 09847325 times to get a drink or snack or change a diaper or give kisses (none of which I really mind). I just want to go from start to finish without stopping :)

As I was looking at my calendar for T25, I can't believe I only have 2 more weeks of the Alpha phase left. I am excited about Beta but also a bit nervous. The Upper Focus DVD is what scares me. I'm fairly sure there will be a lot of pushups and I'm not so good at those. But, you don't get better without practicing!

I even made a big decision tonight. I am going to go ahead and order the 3rd phase, Gamma, of T25. I LOVE this workout because of the length (and Shaun T is pretty easy on the eyes and very motivating!) and I want to go another 5 weeks. So, the Gamma package will be in my hands by before the Beta phase is over. Did I mention that Gamma is also weight based and we all know just how much I LOVE weights! Eek!

So - there are my ramblings about my 3rd week of T25. If you noticed, I didn't mention T25 cardio. It's because it's still my least favorite. I do it, and I work hard, I just don't like it. Not because it's hard, but because I don't like cardio!

Ok - I'm really done now. My bed is calling my name!

<3,
Kell

T25 week 2 review

It's the end if my second week of Focus T25. I have to admit it - I LOVE it!

Shaun T keeps it real and fun. Tania is my BEST FRIEND during some of the moves. I couldn't get through it without modifying some of the moves. I can jump most of the time, but every once in a while, I just don't want to test my knees. So Tania is there for me :) Check out her REAL results below! She had a baby via c-section and was sure she would never get her abs back. She was wrong!

One of my favorite workouts is actually the Ab workout. I don't know why, but it goes REALLY quickly for me. I mean, every workout in T25 goes quick because it's ONLY 25 minutes, but the ab workout really goes fast. Plus, I can really feel it in my abs IMMEDIATELY!

My second favorite workout is Lower Body Focus. I know I'm strange, but I LOVE lunges and squats. One of my trouble areas, and one of my strongest areas, my entire life have been my legs. I danced when I was younger and then played soccer for a bunch of years. I have thighs of steel. Steel covered with some blubber. The blubber is disappearing and I'm now comfortable in shorts, but I still love a good leg workout cause I have a ways to go to get chiseled legs!

Another one that ranks right up there with Abs and LBF is Total Body Circuit. I'm gonna admit it. I LOVE BURPEES! So this workout is great for me!

Speed 1.0 is a fun workout because it incorporates stretches after every move. It's *almost* like Shaun T is giving you a rest. Almost.

My least favorite workout is - can you guess what it's going to be??? CARDIO!!! That was a no brainer! We all know that I have a serious aversion to cardio. But it's necessary and it's only 25 minutes. I can do ANYTHING for 25 minutes.

As for results, I haven't seen the scale move much. That is mostly the result of my eating. I haven't been watching my food as much as I should, so of course, the scale isn't moving. BUT - I have noticed that I feel different, especially in my stomach. My abs are really getting a workout with this program. A lot of the focus is on the core. After two kids and on c-section, my abs can certainly use all the help they can get!

Now my TEST GROUP - these ladies are seeing AMAZING results. 7 inches gone in one week?!?! 4 pounds down in a week?!?! They are KILLING this program and LOVING the results!

So - stay tuned for my week 3 review. Hopefully I will have some real weight loss to report. Oh, and remember, TODAY is the last day to order the T25 challenge pack before it goes up to it's normal price of $205.

<3,
Kell

Southwest Quinoa Salad

While the real big day isn't until tomorrow, we had my dad's 65th birthday party yesterday. It was a beautiful, fall-like, day here in July in Pittsburgh. We sat outside the entire time and the kids played. What a perfect family day!

My dad had asked me to bring a side dish. He was serving grilled organic chicken breast, chicken thighs, burgers, and a salad. I decided to try to find something as clean as possible, since my step-mom and I both like to keep it clean :)

After doing some searching, I came across Melanie's recipe (that she got from Sara Stakely) for Southwest Quinoa Salad. You can find her original HERE.

I tweaked it, just a bit, to fit my needs and my measuring style :) I was a bit skeptical of how it would turn out, but MAN was it good! Everyone loved it, including my kids!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 3T (roughly) of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1tsp ground cumin
• pinch of salt
• pepper to taste (I used a pinch)
• 2 cups, cooked and cooled quinoa
• 1 medium zucchini (or squash), diced
• 2 plum tomatos, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 can organic whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and set aside to blend together. (lemon juice, evoo, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper)
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and toss till mixed.
3. Pour the lemon juice concoction onto the quinoa concoction and mix thoroughly.
4. Chill in the fridge for at LEAST an hour to let the flavors absorb. 
5. Enjoy!

This was seriously one of the best salads I have had all summer. It was so light and refreshing. It would be PERFECT for a hot summer night paired with turkey burgers! Let me know what you think and if you make any changes!

<3,

Kell

Whole Wheat Vanilla Protein Pancakes

So, this is a combination of my waffle and my pancake recipe. I kinda made it up this morning. The hubs ate it willingly and said they tasted great and he hates my "hippie & healthy" food - haha!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/3 cup vanilla or cake batter protein powder (I used cake batter this morning)
• 2 whole eggs (you could also use 3 egg whites) and I use organic, cage-free brown eggs
• 1/8 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (don't tell the hubs - he thinks I used regular milk!)

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Scoop batter, using 1/3 cup measuring scoop, onto your hot griddle or pan.
4. When the pancake bubbles, it's ready to flip.
5. Cook another 2 minutes or so.
6. Take off, place on plate (DUH!) and enjoy!

We serve our pancakes with turkey sausage links, which are a great source of protein and low in fat, organic unsalted butter, and fresh, local maple syrup. We I (I'm not speaking fort the kids and hubs here) don't go crazy with the syrup. Just enough to sweeten the cakes a bit :)

I also usually make a double batch of pancakes and flash freeze the extras so I can just nuke them for the family during the week. Easy, healthy, QUICK breakfast that everyone enjoys! To flash freeze the pancakes, place a layer of foil on a baking sheet. Lay the pancakes in one layer on the tray. Place another piece of aluminum foil over the pancakes. Layer another layer of pancakes on the foil. Cover with another sheet of foil. Repeat until all the cakes are layered and separated by a sheet of foil. Place in the freezer until solidly frozen, then place them into a freezer bag for easy storing and access!

I hope you enjoy our Sunday morning breakfast as much as we do!

<3,

Kelly

My new FB Page

I am BEYOND excited! I finally have my business FB page set up! It's been a long time coming and I'm so excited!

In honor of my new page, I will be giving away a FREE workout program (of my choice), Shakeology Shaker Cup, a packet of Energy and Endurance (E&E), and one packet of Shakeology on Sunday night at 10pm EST.

Yup - you only have TWO days to get registered for this giveaway.

So, how do you get registered? It's easy!

1. Follow this blog.
2. Go to my new FB page, Learning to Love Me - Kelly Levere (www.facebook.com/klevere623), and click LIKE.
3. Come back here and comment that you are following BOTH my blog and my new FB page. 
4. If you refer a friend (friend must say that you referred them in their comment here, after following the first 3 steps), you will get a SECOND entry into the drawing.
5. The winner will be drawn at 10pm EST Sunday (July 28th). I will put all the names into a hat and draw the winner (actually I'm gonna make the hubs do it!)

What are you waiting for - GO GO GO!

<3,

Kell

August Challenge Groups

Today is July 22nd. In exactly ONE MONTH, I have to go back to work. Aug 22nd is our first in-service day. I'll be completely honest, I am dreading it. Not because I hate my job - I actually love it. I just love my two little brats more :) I miss them horribly when I'm not with them.

Anyways - the point of that little cry-fest is to illustrate that in a teachers' eyes, summer is ALMOST OVER!

WHAT???

Where did it go?

I can't answer that, but I can tell you that this is the FIRST summer that I have felt comfortable in my own skin. Wanna know why? Because I participated in a CHALLENGE GROUP and finally lost my extra weight. 65+ pounds of it to be exact.

Now I want to pass the benefits of a challenge group to you! Before we proceed, ask yourself these questions. If you answer YES to one or more, then a challenge group is PERFECT for you!

1. Are you uncomfortable in your summer clothes?
2. Do you prefer to wear jeans in the summer?
3. Do you loathe being in a bathing suit?
4. When you look in a mirror, do you see a stranger instead of the person you know is living inside your body?
5. Do you struggle to balance healthy eating with social gatherings, vacations and even *gasp* emotional eating?
6. Are you super busy and only have about 30 minutes a day, if that, to devote to making a lifestyle change?
7. Do you need someone to keep tabs on you and make sure you are keeping up with your new lifestyle?
8. Do you have good intentions with healthy eating but you get frustrated after eating healthy for a few days and not seeing any progress?

Come on - I KNOW that you answered yes to one or more of those questions! Heck - I answered yes to ALL OF THOSE last summer! Now, I answer all of them with a big honking NO!

So, you answered yes to one or more question. 

NOW WHAT???

Well, you join one of my three August Challenge Groups. As a Beachbody Coach, full time working and clean eating mommy, and someone WHO HAS BEEN THERE, it is my JOB to help you reach YOUR personal health and fitness goals. Yup. YOUR goals - not mine. My goals are very different than yours and they should be.

So - here are your options for August:

1. 30 day Clean Eating & Shakeology Support Group (Aug. 5)

2. 60 day Challenge Group (Aug. 5) 

3. 7 day Shakeology Cleanse (Aug. 12)

Now that we know what the options are, let's learn a bit more about each one.

30 Day Clean Eating & Shakeology Support Group - This group is a 30 day online accountability group (closed so it's completely private) starting August 5th. I will teach you the basics of clean eating. My goals in this group are to (1) teach you how to effectively fuel your body so that food is no longer the enemy and (2) teach you what foods to pair together to keep your body working at its maximum performance. 

During this 4 week group, you will create 4 customized meal plans of your own. You will learn about good vs bad choices. You will learn how to handle social situations. You will feel more confident making good choices when out to eat at restaurants. You will learn how to make this a LIFESTYLE and not a diet.

The cost of this program is only the cost of Shakeology. Shakeology is a requirement because while we are trying to figure out good vs bad choices, what and when to eat, it's important to have one meal a day that you don't have to think about. Shakeology is one meal that will fuel your body for the rest of the day with vitamins, nutrients, and whole foods, and the best part is that you don't even have to think about it. Just blend it up and drink up! It's so easy!

If you want to participate in the 30 Day Clean Eating & Shakeology Challenge, please fill out the application at the bottom of the page.

60 Day Challenge Group - This group is my absolute favorite to run and we are starting on August 5th! 60 days is the PERFECT amount of time to see amazing results but it's also not too long that you get bored. We will start by determining your WHY or the reason that you want to do this group. For me, it was so that I could get my life back and be a healthy role model for my children. We take your end goal and break it down into 15, 30 and 45 day goals. We will take progress pics and measurements on day 1, 30, and 60. No one EVER has to see these pics. They are for tracking progress because your scale is a dirty liar ;) We will also talk about clean eating and meal planning.

You don't have to be near me to participate in this group. You can live anywhere in the United States or Canada because it is also a closed Facebook group. There are small daily assignments designed to motivate you and help you keep going with your workouts and clean eating. Success is DIRECLY related to participation in the group. Trust me, I am living proof! 

For this group, I will help you choose a Beachbody fitness program that best meets your needs and you will also be required to replace one meal a day with Shakeology for the duration of the challenge. After that, you can make the decision whether or not to continue. 

If you think you want to participate in the 60 Day Challenge Group, please fill out the application at the bottom of the page. This group is very limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

*Just a side note before I explain the last group*

The newest Beachbody program, Focus T25, is on special until the end of July. Purchase the T25 Challenge Pack from me and you will get a reduced price. It's over $90 in savings! Put it in your application if this is something you are interested in doing!

7 Day Shakeology Challenge - This group is an awesome introduction to Shakeology, clean eating, and meal planning. You will purchase 7 individual Shakeology packets from me and in return, you will be placed into a closed Facebook group. In that group, you will have a meal plan laid out for you, you will replace one meal a day with Shakeology, and pledge to workout in some way, shape, or form for 30 minutes each day. This is a great way to see if a September Challenge Group might be good for you. If you are interested in this group, please fill out the application below!

I hope to get to work with all of you in a challenge group. I am passionate about them because a challenge group CHANGED MY LIFE. I want to pay it forward!

<3,

Kell

Homemade Granaola

In my quest for finding clean, family friendly snacks, I decided to make something I've been wanting to try for a long time - homemade granola. I mean, it can't be THAT hard - right?

Ok - so I didn't REALLY make it yet, but it's on the docket for this week!

Well, here's my recipe that I'm going to follow. I'm all prepped with my ingredients, I just need to wait until Wednesday when the kids are at daycare. Hopefully, this is what it's gonna look like:

(if you know ANYTHING about me, you know that the first time I try something new in the kitchen, I usually end up almost burning down the house - this is gonna be interesting!)

Here's my recipe:

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

- 1 1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal (NOT the 1 minute oats!)

- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed

- 1/2 cup dried, no sugar added cranberries

- 1/2 cup slivered almonds 

- 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

- 3T natural peanut butter (only ingredient should be PEANUTS and you can substitute almond or sun butter if you so desire)

- 1/2 tsp sea salt

- 1/3 cup raw honey

- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

- preheat oven to 300 degrees.

- in a large bowl, combine ALL ingredients and mix until evenly blended.

- press mixture into a parchment paper lined baking pan and bake for 40 minutes.

- remove from oven and let cool completely.

- break apart into chunks and store in an airtight container.

- enjoy 1/2 cup as a superfood snack!

I plan to add my granola to a single serving cup of Chobani Plain 0% Greek yogurt. That will count as my protein for my meal and will travel easy for our busy summer plans! 

Keep me posted with any variations of this recipe - I LOVE to try new things!

<3,

Kell

Insanity Fit Test Number 2

Today was a big day in my world. I never, in a million years, thought I'd ever even do Insanity, let alone get to the second fit test.

Well, today I did it, and man I OWNED it! I seriously can't believe all the progress I made in just two short weeks!

When I started out, I thought I was going to die. This workout program is called Insanity for a REASON!

Here are my results from my first Fit Test on June 9th:

I have to admit, I was pretty darn happy with those results. I mean, look at those push-up jacks! I did 14 of them on the first day! I know that the globe jumps look pretty wimpy but YOU should try them and let me know how you did ;)

So, for two weeks, I worked my BUTT off. I did ALL of these exercises at some point each week during the workouts. I was sure that I was sweating a LOT but I wasn't sure that I was making any progress. 

Today (Sunday) marks two weeks of Insanity. It was time to do the fit test again. I have to admit - I was nervous. I jumped out of bed this morning and just went down the basement and did it. Actually, I stopped in the bathroom to weigh myself first. I was down .2 pounds. I know, it's not a lot of movement, but I FEEL different. 

So, here's TODAY'S fit test results, along with some crazy pics of myself and an accountability pic of the scale. I have to admit. I'm pretty proud of my results :)

Here they are:

How 'bout DEM APPLES??? Holy Improvement! Seriously! I can't believe that I crushed the fit test! I am actually looking forward to working out for the next two weeks just so I can do the fit test again to see my next set of results!

EEK!

<3,

Kell

Week 2 Insanity Review

Things are starting to change. I am not dreading my workouts anymore. In fact, I might actually be enjoying them. But don't tell anyone. I will deny it. I am a lifting girl at heart ;)

This week brought more of the first month DVDs: Cardio Power and Resistance, Pure Cardio, Cardio Recovery, and Plyometrics Cardio Circuit. 

I am discovering that my favorite workout really is Pure Cardio. As I was doing it this morning, I was trying to figure out why I like it so much. I came to the decision that I like that the exercises don't repeat! You do one minute of each exercise and then you are DONE with that exercise. Sometimes it's really hard for me when I have to do a circuit 3 times. Especially when I don't like some of the exercises (can we say HIGH KNEES? I friggin HATE high knees!)!

My one new workout this week was Cardio Abs. Honestly, the first part of the workout was easy. It was a lot of jumping like in the typical Insanity workouts. The tough part came when we had to do floor work. Did I mention that there is NOT one crunch in this entire workout??? There were lots of leg lifts, c-sits, and other crazy stuff. I'm not sure how I'm gonna feel tomorrow, but I'll let you know when I post my second fit test results, which will be tomorrow! 

I really can't believe that I'm already done with two weeks of Insanity. I honestly never thought I'd make it through the first week.

Oh - a few more things! 

#1 - The HORRIBLE soreness that I experienced in week one has subsided in week 2. I am able to function really well, yet I still feel my muscles being worked. I REALLY think that drinking my R&R after each workout is making a HUGE difference!

#2 - I have not lost a single pound.  Not one. I fact, I have gained a pound. BUT my pants are fitting better. I am feeling like I'm losing some of my stomach fat. Only time will tell, but I'm excited. I've heard from others that during the first month of Insanity, the weight loss is minimal but you are building muscles and losing fat. I can't wait to see what week 3 brings!!!

<3,

Kell

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

A challenger in a group that I'm participating in posted this recipe this week. I am all about trying out new things. Quite frankly, my hubby is sick of the same old things I make for dinner each week.

So tonight I gave this Chicken Enchilada Casserole a shot. I really liked it but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Next time, I will probably substitute salsa for the tomato sauce and tomato paste.

Here's how I made it this time (and it was really good!):

Ingredients:

- 4 whole chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

- 1 1/3 cup (2 servings) cooked brown rice

- 1, 15oz can organic whole sweet corn

- 2 cups shredded 2% cheddar cheese, separated into 1/2, 3/4, and 3/4 cups

- 3 Tbsp organic tomato paste

- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 3 cups organic tomato sauce (no salt added if you can find it)

- 3 tsp chili powder, divided into 1 1/2 and 1 1/2 tsps

- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, divided into 1/2 and 1/2 tsps (if you like some kick - I didn't use it)

- 6 brown rice tortillas, thawed if using frozen tortillas (I used food for life brown rice tortillas from the frozen food section)

Directions:

- Turn oven to 275 degrees.

- Wrap tortillas in foil and place in the oven to warm.

- Combine shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, corn, tomato paste, 1 1/2 tsp chili power, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper in a large bowl.

- Section off the chicken mixture into 1/4 sections. You should end up with 4 equal servings.

- Combine tomato sauce, 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, mixing well.

- Layer a small amount of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. 

- Take tortillas out of the oven and turn the oven to broil.

- Lay in a tortilla.

- Top tortilla with 1/4 of the chicken mixture.

- Layer sauce on top of chicken mixture.

- Lay in another tortilla.

- Top with another 1/4 chicken mixture.

- Layer sauce on top of chicken mixture. 

- Top with a third tortilla. 

- Sprinkle 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of tortilla.

- Repeat the above steps for the second casserole.

- STOP here if you are freezing one, or both of the casseroles. Cover the casserole and freeze. 

- TO COOK THE CASSEROLE - place under the broiler in your oven for approximately 5 minutes. Watch the cheese and top tortilla CAREFULLY because if left in a few seconds too long, it will burn!

- Take out of oven, allow to cool, and cut into 8 servings. I cut mine like a pizza.

- ENJOY!

I hope you enjoy my new found recipe. I know my family sure did!

<3,

Kell

Week 1 Insanity Review

Ok - so I wrote this blog post last Sunday and then I pulled a "Kelly". I forgot to post it! So - here it is in its unedited form. Look for my week 2 review tomorrow! Haha!

Well, it's the end of week 1. I made it through. I did every workout and gave each one 110%!

I'm not gonna lie. It wasn't easy. I've said it before and I'll say it again. 

I HATE cardio. 

This is what I look like each morning before I work out...

I would much rather be lifting, but Insanity is something I have to conquer. I fact, this is me each morning!!!

So I'm giving it my all.

My two favorite workouts this week were Cardio Recovery because the stretching felt AMAZING and I also Pure Cardio because it was short and intense. I like it when my workout is shorter than normal.

That's going to change this week because I get to add in Cardio Abs after Pure Cardio. I'm not too sure how I feel about that yet. I'll let you know on Friday :)

What I can tell you is that the next 7 weeks are going to be a struggle for me. Each day I find myself trying to come up with excuses to not do my workout. In the end, I always do it because I know I HAVE to. It's not really a choice for me anymore. It's something I have to do. 

Another struggle is going to be eating clean. For some reason, I am having a really hard time with that lately. All I want is junk :( I KNOW it's not good for me. I KNOW how I feel after I eat the junk. I KNOW it's hurting my progress. But for some reason, I just want to eat junk.

Maybe it's because I don't get a lot of clean eating support at my house. My hubby is an eater. He eats a lot and wants the foods he is comfortable with. Down home cooking with lots of fat, grease, and beef. I can't and won't do any of those. I would prefer to eat grilled veggies every night. So, eating right is going to be a struggle. But I'll conquer it. I have to. I need this jiggle gone. NOW.

I would love to tell you that I'm down 3 pounds this week, but I'm not. I actually gained 4 pounds. I'm pretty sure it was because I ate a bunch of junk yesterday at my daughters first birthday party. I'm sure I'm nice and bloated. I gonna work really hard on eating well this week and weigh myself mid week again to see how it's going. Hopefully I'll be back under 150 quickly!

Ok - enough rambling for today. I need to hit the sack while both kids are sleeping in their own rooms! Woo hoo! No feet in my back for a little while tonight!

Lots of love!

Kelly

Time to get Insane

I you know me in real life, you know that I'm NOT a cardio girl. I a fact, I'm the furthest thing from it. I LOVE lifting weights. 

But -and this is a HUGE but - I need to lose these last 10-15 pounds. I just can't seem to get rid of them with lifting. 

So I'm doing it. Something I SWORE I would never do. Maybe the blog post tipped you off. Maybe you think I'm just a little nuts. Whatever you guessed, you're right.

INSANITY.

It's calling my name. It's 60 days. It's going to be a HUGE challenge for me. 

But I'm ready for it. I'm ready to take this next step. I'm ready to be at my "goal". 

Wait a minute - I'm lying. I'll never really be at my goal. I ALWAYS going to be a work in progress. So, maybe I'm just ready to tackle something that REALLY scares me. 

Yeah - that's it. Inanity scares me. A ton of cardio scares the CRAP out of me. I quit soccer after 8th grade because I HATED running. But I'm gonna do it anyways. I'm starting on Sunday June 2nd and will finish on Wednesday July 31. 

Anyone wanna do this with me? Are you ready to face your fears and PUNCH them square in the face? Leave a comment or message me on FB (FB.com/kelly.elizabeth.71271) if you want to join me!

Lets do this!

<3,

Kell

Active Military become a Beachbody Coach for FREE

Yup - that's right! You read the title of this blog post correctly!

Beachbody appreciates the members of our Armed Forces and their families! They have a GREAT program for active military and/or their spouse!

Are you ready for this???

Here it comes!!!

If you or your spouse is Active Duty Military, you can be a Beachbody Coach FOR FREE!

Yup! You can start your very own business without any of the associated costs!!!


Ok - so what does it mean to be a Beachbody Coach for FREE?

First, you will get an automatic 25% off anything and everything Beachbody. Yup! That's 25% off of workout programs like P90X, Insanity, TurboFire, Brazil Butt Lift, Les Mills Combat, Slim in 6, and many more! The discount also covers the Beachbody supplements like Shakeology (healthiest meal of the day), Energy & Endurance, Results & Recovery, and much more. Isn't a 25% discount reason alone to sign up?

Second, for anyone wanting to own your own business - THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! By helping others find the right workout program and supporting them through their weight loss journey, you have the opportunity to make this a full or part time job! You can make as much money as you can imagine. It's all about how hard your work, and I can show you how to make it work for you! As long as you or your spouse are active military, you will not have to pay the sign up fee  ($39.95) or the $15.95 per month website fee! How awesome is that!

BTW - did you read the underlined word in that ^^^ paragraph? You need to know that you will NEVER be pressured to sell anything. You are doing your country and all of us living here a GREAT SERVICE that we can never say thank you enough for. So, this is a way. You can just be a coach, without paying the $39.95 sign up fee or the $15.95 monthly website fees, as long as you are active military. If you WANT to start actively coaching, that's great! But please please please know that you will never be pressured to do so!


You might not be wanting to coach for serious income, and that's ok! Some people, like me, started out coaching to cover their Beachbody expenses. Heck, you don't even have to do that! But if you want to actively coach, let me tell you, I have paid for my shakeology each month  and MORE! As an active military coach, you can too, only you get to do it for FREE (no business fees)!!!


Here's what you can expect when you become a FREE coach:

If you are looking to make a SERIOUS income in this business, check out the picture below. It shows how powerful it is to sign up with the RIGHT coach who has a duplicatable system.

*****VERY IMPORTANT*****

This is NOT a get rich quick scheme. You aren't going to retire overnight. But if you put in the HARD WORK that is necessary, you WILL see the fruits of your labor!


FAQ's

I have questions about being a FREE Beachbody Coach. Who can I talk to?

The first thing you should do is read THIS document that Team Beachbody has put together to answer any questions that you might have. If that doesn't answer your questions, please do not hesitate to shoot me an email or leave a comment here and I will get back to you ASAP!

How do I sign up to be a FREE Beachbody Coach?

To take advantage of this awesome offer, you need to follow these steps:

1. Contact me and I will send you the Military Application.
2. Complete the following on the application:
1. top of page 1, indicate the branch of service and your title
2. also on page 1, fill out the applicant info section, then sign and date the bottom.
3. make sure the information for your coach (me) is correct.
3. Email the completed document to Team Beachbody Coach Relations at coachrelations@teambeachbody.com. You will also need to include a copy of your most recent orders stating that you are on active duty. 

If you don't have PDF editing software, you can always edit the PDF for free at http://pdfescape.com. Editing the PDF online and then emailing it is the easiest way to go about signing up. You can also print it out, fill it out, scan it back into your computer and then email it. OR you could go the third route and print it out and fax it in. 

If you choose to fax it in, I will be happy to send you the Fax Cover Sheet too with the fax number on it.

So in the end, you can become a FREE Beachbody coach for a few reasons:

1. Save 25% on your own personal products.
2. Save 25% on your personal products and make enough money to cover your monthly expenses (Shakeology).
3. Save 25% on your personal products and eventually make as much money as you want. You will get out of this business what you put into it.

BUT let me remind you, ONE MORE TIME, that you do not have to actively coach. You are WELCOME to coach just for the discount. There's NOTHING wrong with that!

And I do not say this nearly enough to our military men and women, so let me take a minute right now.

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for keeping me, my family, and my country safe. I appreciate you and your family's sacrifice more than you could ever know. 

Now let me say thank you by getting you 25% off any and all Beachbody products!


<3,
Kell