What is a Challenge Group?

Wanna know the two most common questions I hear as a Beachbody Coach?

1. "What the heck IS a Challenge Group?"
2. "Why do I need a Challenge Group to succeed?"

These questions are easy to answer because I attribute my 65 pound weight loss to Challenge Groups! Being a part of them were a HUGE factor in my success!

Q. What IS a Challenge Group?

A. A Challenge Group is made up of all kinds of different people, working together to support each other and reach their goals. They are all working out to a Beachbody program, they are all drinking Shakeology, and they are all eating clean!

Sometimes a challenge group will be made up of one specific Beachbody program, like P90X3. Other times the challenge group will be a mixed group. Mixed groups contain all Beachbody programs except the 21 Day Fix. That program gets its' own group because it's such a special program!

Q. Do I have to go anywhere for this Challenge Group?

A. NOPE! We run the challenge groups through secret facebook groups! We want this to be easy for you! Just sit down, check in, and workout!

Q. Why do I need a Challenge Group to succeed?

A. The reasons for needing a Challenge Group are really endless. 

1. Support. We talk each and every day to support the entire group! Hit a plateau? We are there to help you find a solution through it! Need some encouragement to go workout? We will kick your butt into gear!
2. Nutrition. We love to share our favorite recipes and help each other find new recipes.
3. Accountability. THIS is the big one. We hold each other accountable for our workouts. Our favorite thing to do is post a sweaty post-workout picture. Don't worry. It's a secret group and the pics don't leave the group without your permission!
4. Friendship. This is one that no one ever sees coming. When you join the challenge group, you end up making new friends for life!
5. FUN! We have a BLAST in our challenge groups! Posting funny and encouraging pictures. Lifting each other up when we are feeling down. Celebrating our successes!
   
   

Q. I've failed at weight loss so many times. What will you do to help me succeed?

A. This is a LOADED question. And guess what? It's the same question I asked MY COACH before I made the decision to join a Challenge Group. Her answer to me was this: "There is no guarantee that you will 100% succeed. That is going to depend on you. If you are determined, follow the program, eat well, drink your Shakeology, and STAY ENGAGED in the group, there is no reason that you won't succeed. But remember, I CANNOT do the work for you." This was the best piece of advice I have ever gotten!

Q. What do I need to participate in one of these Challenge Groups?

A. You need three things to participate in one of my Challenge Groups:

 
1. A Beachbody Workout. We're talking P90X, T25, 21 Day Fix, P90X3, Insanity, TurboFire, Brazil Butt Lift, Chalean Extreme, etc. There's a TON to pick from and new ones are being rolled out all the time.
   
2. Shakeology. "But Kelly - I eat my food. I don't drink it." Well friends - get over it and try it. I said the EXACT same thing to my coach. She said the EXACT same thing to me. And guess what? I'm forever changed. Shakeology is NOT going to make you lose weight. You will have to WORK to do that. What Shakeology does is provide your body with 70+ essential vitamins and nutrients that are in WHOLE FOOD FORM. Nothing fake. Ever. The only thing about Shakeology that is processed is that the whole foods are DRIED to make the powder!
   
   ***the BEST value is to purchase your workout and shakeology TOGETHER in a package called a Challenge Pack. They are deeply discounted, so much that we, as coaches, cannot buy them! I would be happy to help you choose what challenge pack is best for you. Just find me on Facebook (http://bit.ly/klevere) or shoot me an email.
   
3. ME as your coach!  Don't worry. This part is FREE! Clicking on this link will take you to a page that will make me your coach! http://bit.ly/freecoachkelly

So - there you have it. Now you know what a Challenge Group is and how they run. Next step is to sign up for a free account and get in contact with me. Whatever you do - PLEASE DO NOT BE AFRAID to contact me. My goal is to help as many people as I can. I want YOU  to feel as good as I do. I want YOU to have the same changes in your life and body that I had. If I can do it, so can you! 

Let's do this TOGETHER!!!

<3,

Kelly

Throw Back Thursday

I never thought I'd show people these pics. Ever. But If you really want to know my story, they are pretty accurate! Am I where I want to be? No. Will I get there? Of course! Am I having fun in the process? YUP!

And then there's my transformation video - don't forget to watch it!

Want a transformation yourself? Comment below or message me on facebook (www.facebook.com/kelly.elizabeth.71271)

<3,
Kell

CLX/T25 Hybrid - Week 2

In deciding what program to workout to for the remainder of 2013, I decided to go back to my first Beachbody program, ChaLEAN Extreme. I LOVE this program. It makes me feel strong and powerful. Chalene teaches you to lift CORRECTLY. This is the program that I lost 43 pounds with last year at this time.

My one grip with CLX is that you do the SAME cardio workouts for the entire 90 days. It gets boring. I don't like boring. I also don't like working out any longer than 25 minutes. What can I say - T25 SPOILED ME!

So I made the decision to do a hybrid schedule of CLX and T25. It's not written out anywhere, I'm making it up as I go along. I am doing the CLX lifting videos on M/W/F, or 3 days a week, and T25 workouts on T/R/S, or 3 other days a week. Sometimes I throw in a rest day on a week day instead of on Sunday. Especially if this week :/

See, this week was a week of Mondays. I'm sure you know what I mean. If it could go wrong, it went wrong this week. Piper got sick on Sunday night. Hubs got sick on Monday. Wyatt got sick on Tuesday. Wyatt had to go to the doctor on Wednesday night and get a breathing treatment and steroids. Thursday brought Hubs' grandma going to the hospital.

See what I mean? It was a week of Mondays.

So, my workouts got a little messed up this week. I wasn't able to get up early (5am) to work out every day. I was busy taking care of sick kids and the hubs. I had to fit in my workouts later in the day, after I got home from my full time job. I hate doing that. In fact, I just took a complete rest day on Wednesday because I only got 2 hours of sleep Tuesday night.

Again, it's been a rough week.

However, I'm not gonna let that deter me. I got my workouts in on Mon, Tues and Thurs. Yesterday (Thursday) was interesting because I did it at 6 pm with my 15 month old in the room. At least I'm setting a good example - right? Positives people. I'm always looking for the positives in situations.

Piper and I had fun working out last night. In fact, she was trying to decide herself what program to do!

I did Burn Circuit 2 last night which just might be one of my all-time favorites. I LOVE working my back and biceps. I also LOVE doing dead lifts. I know. I'm strange. It's ok. Wanna see our workout from last night? Complete with exhausted "done" pic with the cutie pie pictured above??? Ok - twist my arm ;)

One of my favorite parts of this workout is the last set lifting. It's actually not lifting at all. It's push-ups. Triple Threat push-ups to be exact. First you do a tricep push-up, then a regular push-up, then a spider push-up. Repeat 4 times for a total of 12. I have YET to do all 12 on my knees. By the end of this workout my arms are EXHAUSTED! The only thing that saves me a little are my wonderful wrist straps. My forearms would be mush if I had to carry around 25 and 30 pound weights for extended periods of time!

So - that is my random rambling about my second week of my CLX/T25 hybrid. Tonight I am going to do T25 Ab Intervals and tomorrow is Burn Circuit 3. Sunday will most likely be Speed 1.0 from T25 but we'll see what kind of mood I'm in when the time comes!

AND - what kind of coach would I be if I didn't offer this great opportunity to you guys??? I have a new group starting preseason on Monday the 14th. I would LOVE to help you achieve your goals and dreams. Message me on FB or leave a comment here and, together, we will come up with a plan that works for YOU!

Enjoy your Friday friends!

<3,

Kell

One year later

I wanna take you back to this exact night, one year ago.

I was an obese mother of a 3 year old and 3 month old. I had zero energy to get through the day. I was depressed about how I looked. I turned to food for comfort. I would eat two entire BOXES of Kraft Mac & Cheese at a time. I would hide my "bad" food from my husband.

But I was extremely naive. I wasn't fooling anyone. My hubby knew I was eating badly and gaining all my pregnancy weight back. In fact, it was my hubby that had the courage to call me on my weight gain.

You see, I had ALWAYS been a "thick" girl. Not fat, but I was always at least a size 12, usually hovering around a 14. I would tell people that I was "big boned". I would blame it on my genetics - after all I was 1/2 Italian, 1/4 German and 1/4 Irish. My heritage caused me to love food too much - right?

In reality, it wasn't my big bones or my heritage. It was my bad food choices and lack of exercise that had landed me where I was.

When I had my son in 2009, I lost my 17 pound pregnancy weight gain very quickly. I kinda lost control when I got pregnant with my daughter in Sept. 2011 and I ended up gaining over 45 pounds. I topped the scale at over 250 when I delivered.

Luckily, I again lost the baby weight pretty quickly. But I still ended up obese at 214 pounds, size 20 pants, and 35%+ body fat.

When my husband finally said something to me, he said it with love. Yes it hurt. But you know what? He was the ONLY one who had the courage to call me on my bad habits. He was the ONLY one who was willing to have me mad at him in order for me to turn my life around.

So, I finally realized that he was right (after not talking to hubs for over a week) and made the decision to change my life. I'm not gonna go into great detail writing about it because I took a LOT of time to make my video.

It is my hope that I can help people through my story. Is it hard to show my before pics? HECK YEAH! Am I completely embarrassed about how I looked? UMMM - YES!

But here's the best part - ready for it?

I'm 9843761875 times more PROUD of my after pics than I am embarrassed of my before pics. It's IMPOSSIBLE to get the full effect of the afters without seeing the REAL befores.

So - one year ago tonight I was sitting on the eve of my 90 day Beachbody Challenge. I had already drinking Shakeology and eating clean for 2 weeks. I FELT better. I think it goes without saying that I was SCARED out of my MIND about this challenge. What would happen if I FAILED? I don't think I could handle another failure in my life. I was already a Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, and crazy diet failure. What was gonna make this different?

Know what I did this time? I took it ONE DAY AT A TIME. I worked out when I could find the time, usually during nap time. If my daughter didn't want to nap, she was in the swing watching me do my thing! I didn't look too far ahead. I didn't worry about working out tomorrow, next week, or even next month. I crossed each hurdle (and there were MANY) as they came.

I also had the accountability of a challenge group. I checked in EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. I worked out EVERY.SINGLE.DAY - except Sunday which was my rest day. I drank my Shakeology EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. These three things were my non-negotiables.

Ok - I'm not gonna give any more away. Watch the video. Share it with your friends, family, strangers, ANYONE who can use some inspiration. If you need inspiration, help, motivation, accountability in your own journey, shoot me a line. All I want now is to help others feel this amazing!

Let me know what you think!

<3,
Kell
klevere623@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com.kelly.elizabeth.71271
www.facebook.com/klevere623
@klevere623 on IG

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

Vanilla Shakeology Review and Recipes

I have ALWAYS been a chocolate girl. Obsessed with chocolate is an understatement. When Vanilla Shakeology was announced in June 2013 at Beachbody Summit, I was SURE I would hate it because I don't like milk or milkshakes. Heck, I don't even like melted ice cream!

So, one of my coaches gave me some packets to try and here's what my first impression of Vanilla Shakeology was:

Since that day, I have come to realize that Vanilla Shakeology now rivals Chocolate for my FAVORITE! It's so versatile and GOOD!


Before I get into some of my favorite recipes, let me tell you a little bit about Shakeology:


What IS Shakeology?

1. It's a meal replacement shake that has the correct combination of proteins to carb ratio in order to few your body for energy, optimal health, weight loss and more!  
2. It's a nutrient dense drink (made from WHOLE foods!) that will provide you with nutrition to keep you healthy!
3. It is that one meal a day that you don't have to think about! Anyone else a busy mom out there?
4. It's that one meal that when you are running late and have a choice between the drive thru and a shake or breakfast vs no breakfast its a wise choice to choose the Shakeology.  
5. It tastes GOOD! It's not gritty, too sweet, not sweet enough, artificial tasting, or anything else! It's made from 70+ WHOLE FOOD ingredients and it will keep you full! The wonderful thing about Shakeology, especially the Vanilla flavor, is that you have the option to add in flavor not with artificial sweeteners but instead with real fruit, juice, peanut butter, spices, different types of milk, etc. 
6. Shakeology ingredients are not processed.  Even though it's in a powder form which would lead some to think it is processed, it is not.  You can buy every single ingredient in the grocery store and blend it up to make the same Shakeology.  But it would cost you a pretty penny!  

I drink Shakeology every day for many reasons. First, it completely curbs my cravings for junk. Second, it's EASY. Third, it's QUICK. Fourth, I am not very good about getting all the veggies I need in a day, and I know that Shakeology is bridging the gap and keeping me on the right track! 

So - you ready for some great Vanilla Shakeology Recipes? ALL of these recipes are made with one scoop or 1 packet of Vanilla Shakeology. Here ya go:

This one is my FAVORITE Vanilla Shakeology Recipe: 

Orange Julius Post-Workout - this particular recipe is around 350 calories because of the R&R - just a heads up!

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

2 scoops R&R

8oz cold water

1/2 cup ice

blend

And here are more:

Cinnamon Bun

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 graham cracker

1/2 cup ice

blend

Peanut Butter Banana

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1T all-natural PB

1/2 banana

1/2 cup ice

blend

Vanilla Latte

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1 cup cold coffee

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1/2 cup ice

blend

Strawberry Dreams

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1 cup frozen strawberries (no sugar added) - you can use fresh but you will need to add ice to obtain your preferred consistency.

blend

Blueberry Fields

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1 cup frozen blueberries (no sugar added) - you can add ice but then you will have to add more/less ice to obtain your preferred consistency.

1/2 cup ice - if needed

blend

Pina Colada

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1 cup organic all-natural pineapple juice

1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks (no sugar added) - you can also use fresh pineapple but you may have to add more ice to obtain your preferred consistency.

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup ice

blend

Minty Watermelon

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1 cup cubed watermelon

6 mint leaves (or 1/8 tsp mint extract)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup ice

blend

Apple Pie - you can also add in some walnuts if your heart desires)

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup ice

blend

Orange Dream

1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology

zest of 1/2 an orange

1 orange, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup ice

blend

I hope you enjoy these Shakeology recipes! If you have any to add, PLEASE leave them in the comments below! I get so stuck in my own favorites that I forget to try new recipes sometimes!

<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

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

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

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

March Madness!

Can you believe that today is March 5? Doesn't it seem like we were JUST celebrating New Year's?  Seriously - time needs to SLOW DOWN!

Did you know that there's only 3 months until Summer? That means that you have around 90 days to get your bathing suit body. Are your arms, legs, and belly ready for the teeny tiny clothes that accompany summer? What about that bathing suit? If all you have left to do is get a spray tan so you're not so pasty, then you still have time.

But, if you still have your winter weight hanging around your mid section, you do realize that a quick spray tan isn't going  to make that go away - right? It's gonna take time. It's gonna take hard work. It's gonna take dedication.

Most of the time, when people decide to get healthy or do something about their weight, it ends up being a mad dash to change it right now. How many times have you said "Oh, I'll just not eat for a few days and then I"ll be good to go."? How did that work for you? Were you just a raging lunatic who ended up eating a TON of bad stuff? Yup, that's what I though.

Maybe you have even signed up for a gym membership - woo hoo! You get home from work each night, get everyone settled, put on your workout clothes, go BACK out into the cold (it's snowing at I type this), drive to the gym, spend a good hour doing your workout, then back out into the cold to drive home. If you are anything like me, that probably lasted for a week or two and now you're out 2 months gym membership (cause you have to cancel 30 days in advance), you haven't lost a pound, and  you're even more frustrated! Did you know that what the picture below says is TRUE? No wonder you got so frustrated so quickly at the gym!

Well, all that ^^^ right up there is said with experience. I have struggled with my weight my ENTIRE life. Especially since I've been married and had my babies. My hubs and I made time to go to the gym before our son was born and it wasn't too bad because we lived really close. Now, I want to spend my spare time with my family. I don't wanna work 8 hours a day and then be gone for another 2 working out!

I'm feeling froggy today, so let me remind you of what I looked like just 5 SHORT MONTHS ago. Yes, today marks my 5 month anniversary of my journey with getting healthy. When my good friend Bethany first gave me these pictures, I was devastated. I was embarrassed  I couldn't believe I looked the way I did.

See that shirt? It was a basic stretchy t-shirt from the Gap. It was an XXL. I was wearing an XXL, size 20 pants and I STILL had a muffin top. Honestly, I look at that picture and I don't even see my beautiful children. All I see is how unhappy I was with myself. How sad is that?

Well, I made the decision THEN to do a 90 day challenge. I wasn't putting it of anymore. I was SCARED TO DEATH that I was going to fail. I asked my coach what the failure rate was. She assured me that if I followed the plan and REALLY committed, I would succeed.

And - guess what - I DID! I now wear a size 8 pants and a size medium shirt! in 5 short months! I am still in disbelief. Here's that before shot with my most recent (I had just gotten out of the shower) "in progress" shot. I don't call them after shots because I'm not done yet ;)

Here's another one from a few days ago. I think this one shows off my arms nicely. Yes, there's still flab but it's quickly disappearing! This was after my Body Beast Build Back/Bis workout on Monday.

 And I thought the pics of me in this collage show off just how far I have come since that before pic. I can see the biggest difference in my arms and my waist in this pic. And Sagi looks pretty dang good too - yum!

Ok - so on to the point of this blog post!

I want YOU to have the same results as me! Don't shake your head no at me! You CAN do it! I believe in you!

I have 4 options for you this month:

1. Join my FREE 30 day March Total Body Madness group on FB for a free daily workout.
2. Join my March 11th, 90 day challenge group. For this group, you will need to commit to working out to a Beachbody program for 90 days, drink shakeology for 90 days, and eat clean for 90 days. *this is what I did*
3. Join my March 18th, 30 day Clean Eating/Shakeology challenge group. For this group, you will need to commit to eating clean and drinking shakeology for 30 days. It's a great way to start your fitness journey.
4. Join my April 1st, 90 day Challenge Group. It's just like the March 11th Challenge Group, but it's starting on April 1st! No, I'm NOT joking ;)

So, in order to participate in any of these groups, friend request me on FB (click here) and then shoot me a message. I will help you choose what group is best for you and what workout program will work best for you! 

Don't wait any longer! Summer is JUST around the corner!

<3,
Kell