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

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

Orange Vanilla Shakeology

I am a chocolate shakeology kinda girl. Always have been and always will be. I NEED to have some chocolate in my day. It just makes me happy!

Having said that, I like to switch up my shakeology every once in a while. I love the tropical strawberry  made with THIS recipe. 

I tried the greenberry recipe a few weeks ago. I'm gonna be brutally honest here. I really hated didn't like it. In fact, I haven't tried it since because I was so afraid that I would want to throw it out.

Well, that all changed when I found this new recipe. It's from my friend Alyson's blog and it's AMAZING! If you haven't had a chance, go check out her blog :) She's got some great stuff on there!

Anyways - here's the recipe. I have finally found a way to LOVE greenberry! Woo Hoo!

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop (1/3 cup) Greenberry Shakeology
• 1 cup all natural orange juice
• 1/4 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Add ice to blender if you want a thicker, more frosty-like, shake.
4. Add more liquid (I would add water) if you want a more thinned out version of the shake.
5. Enjoy!!!

For more information on Shakeology and it's many different health benefits, please visit my shakeology page. Click on any SHAKEOLOGY word in this blog post to get there! 

You can also friend request me on Facebook and we can chat there!

Superbowl 2013 and weight loss

I'm gonna admit it. I'm one of these people this year:

And I'm gonna admit to something else too. 

I'd rather see the 49ers get their 6th ring than see Ray Lewis get one. I know that it might cause a huff, but I'm allowed my own opinions, and I just don't like that guy!

OK, back on the farm. I know that I can't escape it. Our family is having a Superbowl party. My BIL wants pizza. My hubs wants buffalo chicken dip. My son wants root beer. My daughter wants boob juice - haha! Sorry - I had to put that in!

I know that I can't escape the junk, but I can go in prepared. If I have learned one thing on my weight loss and health journey is that I need to be prepared. If I fail to plan, then I plan to fail.

So, here's what I'm doing. I'm going to step away from the pizza. I'm going to have MIL order me a grilled chicken salad from the pizza joint with no cheese. I'm going to bring my own dressing. I'm going to bring a veggie tray with "ranch dip". I'm going to bring some fruit to snack on. I'm going to bring some 2% cheese sticks. I'm going to enjoy a beer :) I like beer!

I might even also make my chocolate chip cookie dough dip. Click HERE for the recipe. It's unreal!

Heck, I just decided that I'm going to make some homemade guacamole! Again, click HERE for the recipe.

I know that it's hard to go to parties when you are trying to eat healthy. But seriously, planning ahead and bringing some healthy food to your gathering is your best bet. You also want to bring your will power. It's really freaking hard not easy to say no to the junk. I know because I love junk!

Anway - I found a great article on Teambeachbody.com that talked about more things to eat on Superbowl Sunday that won't totally derail your healthy efforts. It also gives some great advice on what to avoid. I copied below and you can find the original article HERE.

One of the TOP TIPS I give people is to PRE-EAT when you are going to a party. If you eat good stuff before hand, then you are much less likely to indulge on bad food at the party. Also, don't be afraid to say "no, thank you" when you are offered that yummy, delicious, bad-for-you food. No one's gonna remember that you said no to their cheese ball. They are just gonna remember which brother won the game!

So, in the end, enjoy your Superbowl party and try not to stress. If you DO indulge, remember, you don't need to quit your journey just because you ate one bad meal. We all have those days! It's ok to have those days! Get back on the horse and try again!

<3,

Kell

Original article from TBB.com:

It happens every year, mere weeks after resolving to lose the love handles, we face a day devoted to filling our bellies with hot wings, nachos, and beer. Americans consume more calories on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year. The food, most of it smothered in cheese and dripping with fat, gets as much attention as the football game and it’s easy to eat an entire day’s worth of calories by halftime.

We realize that this isn't going to be your healthiest day of the year and that, more than likely, you’re going to indulge. We're here to help you minimized the damage. This game plan for the Super Bowl spread will keep you from totally sacking your fitness goals.

Super Bowl Champions

Choose from these snacks for your starting line-up.

1. Chili

A hearty bowl of chili will really satisfy hunger, and prevent you from grazing. If its vegetarian or made with ground turkey, even better. Skip the sour cream and cheese toppings, and reach for salsa and cilantro. If you’re making it yourself, try this Beachbody chili recipe.

Approximate calories per cup: 296

2. Submarine Sandwich

A giant submarine sandwich piled high with deli meat, lettuce, and tomatoes, will be one of your best bets on the buffet table. Ideally, it should be stuffed with turkey or lean roast beef. But even higher fat meat will offer a satisfying serving of protein. Add as many veggies as you wish and for a condiment, pick mustard over mayo.

Calorie range per 6” sandwich: 280-350 calories

3. Guacamole

An estimated 79 million pounds of avocados will be served during the game. This is one Super Bowl staple not to miss. Avocados are highly nutritious and are a source of “healthy” monounsaturated fat. Scoop it up with veggies or baked tortilla chips. That said...some guacs are made with some renegade ingredients like mayo and sour cream. Avoid these and dive into the ones made only from veggies, fruits (like tomato!), and spices.

Approximate calories per tablespoon: 25

4. Hummus

Instead of the standard refried bean dip with cheese, dip into the bean dip of the Middle East. Made from mashed garbanzo beans and sesame seed paste, hummus has protein and fiber. It also has its fair share of healthy fat, so go easy and swap out the pita chips for veggies as your hummus delivery system.

Approximate calories per tablespoon: 27

5. Fresh Veggies

There is no need to feel like a rabbit while everyone else is living it up in CalorieLand, but a serving of crisp vegetables will keep you from overdosing on naughtier fare. If there are any vegetables or fruit in sight, let these act like a side salad. Hold the ranch dressing.

Approximate calories: 20-60 per cup

Bench These Foods

Unless you want to fumble, stay away from these snacks. Can’t? Try my “Make it Healthier” tips.

• Hot Wings - Hot wings have to be healthy, I mean, they’re served with all that celery right? Wrong. These little gut bombs, made from the fattiest part of the chicken, are deep-fried, then smothered in buttery hot sauce. Each piece can pack more than 100 calories, and that’s before it takes a dip in creamy blue cheese dressing.

Make it Healthy: Substitute fried wings with baked chicken tenders and top them with a hot sauce like Frank’s Red Hot. Mix crumbled blue cheese with nonfat plain Greek yogurt and lemon juice for a creamy dip.

• Nachos - Fried tortilla chips piled high with meat, cheese, and sour cream, what’s not to love? Here’s what: Nachos Bell Grande from Taco Bell delivers a whopping 760 calories and 39 grams of fat.

Make it Healthy: Decorate baked tortilla chips with colorful toppings like black beans, tomato, bell pepper or jalapeños, red onion, cilantro, sliced avocado, and a reasonable amount of cheese (about an ounce per person – an ounce is about the size of two dice). Also, spring for quality cheese, it will be more flavorful so a smaller amount will still stand out.

• Bratwurst – Most pork sausage, like Italian sausage or bratwurst, is made from at least 20% pure fat. No joke, fat is often added to the meat mixture to give it texture and flavor. Hot dogs, same story. Plus, with those, you get a lot of other nitrates and unspeakable fillers.

Make it Healthy: Choose a sausage made from lean chicken or turkey. Many grocery stores carry gourmet versions. Top with mustard, sautéed peppers and onions, or sauerkraut, and skip the bun.

• Meat Lover’s Pizza – When you can see the orange grease pooling on a slice of pizza, run in the opposite direction. When people order pizza for game day, they order an extra-large with all the toppings. This means larger slices, and more fat and calories per serving.

Make it Healthy: Well, you could pick off all of the toppings, soak up the fat with a napkin, and discard the end of the crust and get weird stares from your friends. Or…you could convince your friends to agree to a thin crust, veggie pizza (or split one half and half). Some pizza chains, like Dominos, make a diet-conscious crust. Personalized pizzas are also fun way to please the whole crowd. Let friends make their own pizzas on pita bread with healthy toppings and heat them up in the oven.

• “Secret Family Recipe” Dip – That family secret is a well-guarded recipe that revolves around a combination of cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. There may be some deceptive flecks of spinach, artichoke, or onion, but don’t be fooled. Dips made from powdered mixes are no better, and are overloaded with sodium.

Make it Healthy: Some dip recipes can be made lighter by substituting nonfat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt for sour cream. Try mixing yogurt with chopped fresh chives, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice. Turn up the heat with red pepper flakes or Tabasco.

Extra Points:

1. Beer will be flowing, it is part of the sport of watching football. Have a plan for how many you’re going to drink before you start. Slow your intake, and ward off a Monday morning hangover by drinking tall glass of water between each beer.

2. Don’t arrive for kick-off with an empty stomach. Drink Shakeology or eat a light meal with lean protein before game time. This will help curb junk food cravings.

3. The best seat in the house is not front-and-center if there is a table filled with food within arms reach. Stake out a seat near the game but away from the junk.

4. Watch the game (and the commercials!). Talk to your friends. Cheer for your team. Heckle the other team. The more involved you are in the real action, the less likely you’ll be to absentmindedly fill your face hole with Funyuns.

A Few More Thoughts on Beer:

Even if you've been good about staying away from alcohol while you've been working out, trying to do so on Super Bowl Sunday is a true test of willpower. So, if you're going to drink, here's what we recommend.

When it comes to beer, it's tempting to buy whatever case is on sale. But, consider this: If you're going to a buddy's house, everyone will bring beer. If you're hosting, all of your guests will bring beer. I have never attended a Super Bowl party where there has been a beer shortage. So, why not opt for taste over quantity? After all, chugging one beer after another (light beer or otherwise) is not going to make your clothes fit any better next week. If your intention is to consume as much beer as possible, there's nothing we can do to stop you.

Limit your beer to 3 regular-sized bottles or cans. This may seem like an awfully little amount of beer for Super Bowl Sunday, but that's still 480 calories. Plus, when the beers are more flavorful (i.e. NOT light beer), those 3 will feel a heck of a lot more satisfying.

Here are 5 great regular beers that you should be able to find almost anywhere whether you're shopping at Wal-Mart, Kroger, or Whole Foods.

- Blue Moon Belgian White Ale (calories: 171)

- Sam Adams Noble Pils (calories: 160)

- Widmer Amber Ale (calories: 140)

- Newcastle Brown Ale (calories: 138)

- Boddingtons (calories: 132)

50 pounds gone forever

EEK! 

I FINALLY DID IT! 

I've been looking forward to this day for a long time! 

I had been feeling like I was really in a rut the last few weeks. So, I decided to really clean up my eating this week and see just how much of a difference it made. 

Well GUESS WHAT??? It made all the difference in the world! I broke through my plateau and hit my 50 pounds gone forever goal! I am BEYOND excited! I am blown away.

I've only been on this weight loss journey for 4 MONTHS! Holy crap!!! I lost 50 pounds in 4 MONTHS!!!

And here's the best part! I didn't starve myself! I didn't workout 4 hours a day like a crazy person. I ate around 1600 calories each and every day. I made sure the food I was putting into my body was actually FUELING my body. I drank a TON of water - literally! I drank my shakeology every day. I worked out 30  - 50 minutes, 6 days a week. I lifted HEAVY! I built MUSCLE!

I know what you are thinking. She's one of these people who loses weight easily. She has all the time in the world to work at it. She has a lot of money to fuel her body right. Shakeology and good food isn't cheap. 

Well - YOU'RE WRONG! 

If I can do this, then anyone can. We don't have a lot of money. We are live off of two teachers salaries and I am on unpaid maternity leave right now. I've struggled with my weight my ENTIRE life. I had HORRIBLE eating habits. I was LAZY! 

I made the decision to not be that person anymore. I made the decision to commit to a 90 day program. I did whatever it took for 90 solid days. I succeeded!

Here are a few things I have learned in the past 4 months:

1. I am stronger than I ever knew possible. Both mentally and physically. 
2. Getting fit and healthy is a MENTAL game. Your body can go so much further than your mind thinks it can.
3. An hour workout is 4% of your day. I'm worth taking at least that much time to myself each day!
4. I am making a POSITIVE impact on my children by becoming a healthier and fitter version of me.
5. I can and will help others achieve these same results.
6. I cannot do it on my own. My family are my pillars. I couldn't do this without their support. 
7. I can't look at my end goal every day. It's good to know where I want to be, but when you have A LOT of weight (over 50 pounds) to lose, that end goal looks SOOOOOO far away in the beginning. So, I set small, achievable goals. 5 pounds here, 10 pounds there, a new pants size, just getting through the day w/o eating junk! Little goals work!
8. I am worth it. I need to feel good about myself. I DO feel good about myself!
9. I am making a positive impact on my children. I am showing them how to eat right. I am showing them that daily exercise is a part of their life to look forward to, not run from.
10. I am not even close to being done yet!

How many of you want to get fit? How many of you are scared to try? I was scared. I even asked my coach about how many people fail. She was honest with me. She told me that participation was the KEY to success. So, I decided to participate in the challenge group EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. It was non-negotiable. I had to do it. It kept me motivated. It kept me on track.

I would LOVE to help YOU achieve the same success I have had. All you have to do is reach out to me. Message me on Facebook HERE. Find me on Instagram and Twitter (klevere623). Shoot me an email. Sign up for a free Team Beachbody account HERE. All of my contact information is in my business card at the end of this post. I even linked my FB profile for you. Send me a message and LET'S DO THIS!!!

<3,

Kell

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I've been in the hunt for some new recipes. I tend to find ones that I like and make them A LOT! I was getting sick of the same old chicken and tuna recipes.

I found this one and I think it will be amazing with some steamed broccoli and brown rice!

Ingredients:
(makes 74 meatballs)

Meatballs:

• 2 lbs of lean ground turkey (preferably turkey breast)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple in 100% juice, drained
• 1 cup green onions
• 2 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp ground ginger

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
• 2/3 cup chili sauce
• 6 Tbsp rice vinegar (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil. 
4. Shape meatballs and place on the cookie sheet. Make sure they are spaced far enough apart that they do not touch.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until completely cooked. 
6. Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish and cover to keep warm.
7. While the meatballs are cooking, combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan.
8. Stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
9. Place saucepan over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture is boiling.
10. Reduce heat to low and stir for another minute or until the sauce thickens.
11. Pour hot sauce over the meatballs and gently toss to coat meatballs.
12. Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer OR over a serving of brown rice for dinner!
13. Enjoy!

<3,
Kell

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Almond Sunflower Crusted Cod

Holy yummy dinner! I had a few extra calories to eat yesterday because of an amazing TurboFire workout, so instead of just baking my dinner in the oven, I decided to spice it up a bit. I didn't start with a recipe, just my on-hand ingredients!

When I normally bake fish in the oven, I wash it, clean it, pat it dry. Then I throw it in a glass baking dish with some all natural OJ and stick it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Here's what I came up with for tonight's dinner! The nutrient breakdown is JUST for the fish portion of the picture above. It doesn't include the quinoa or veggies.

Ingredients:
(makes 2, 4 oz servings)

2, 4 oz filets of fresh, wild caught Cod

2 Tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs

2 Tbsp slivered almonds

1 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse and dry the cod. Trim off anything that needs to go. I'm REALLY picky about trimming my chicken and fish.
3. In a blender (I use my magic bullet), combine the bread crumbs, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
4. Blend until everything is the same consistency.
5. Put the bread crumb mixture into a shallow bowl.
6. Lay each cod filet in the bowl, coating all sides with the mixture. There should be JUST enough mixture to cover both filets.
7. Place cod filets into a glass baking dish, I used a 9 x 9 Pyrex dish.
8. Add the lemon juice to the baking dish.
9. Bake the fish in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the fish is flakey and cooked the entire way through.
10. Serve with your favorite veggies and/or pasta. I used peas and carrots and a serving of quinoa.

Serving details:
(1 filet of fish)

Calories = 200

Carbs = 14

Fat = 7

Protein = 24

Sugar = 2
Calcium = 3

<3,
Kell

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8 weeks to a better diet

As I was checking out Teambeachbody.com this morning, I saw THIS article. I think it's awesome, so I thought I'd re-post it. Ya'll know me by now, I'm not gonna reinvent the wheel just to say it's mine, so I re-post articles that I find interesting.

In this article, Steve Edwards talks about easing your way into a new lifestyle. I jumped right into the deep end of clean eating and never looked back. That isn't for everyone. Some people need a more gentle approach. So, here it is. An 8-week plan to get your eating on track! The ONLY thing I would do different, is instead of a cheat DAY in week 8, I would switch that up to a cheat meal. I think that the cheat meal does more good for your body than the cheat day, but that's just my opinion based on MY body.

Enjoy the read!

<3,
Kell

The 8-Week Transition Diet

By Steve Edwards

Transition diets are one of the easiest ways to become a healthier eater.

I've been doing them since the '80s and, in fact, one of the first articles I ever wrote for Beachbody, in January 2001, was a 6-week transition plan. They're not only great for first-time dieters but are also great for any time you feel like cleaning out your system after a period of slacking off. That's why I do a variation of this plan almost every year. Here's my latest creation.

It's often said that no one diet works for every individual. While this is true, you may have noticed that all Beachbody eating plans target a similar goal: Eat more natural, whole foods and less junk. That's because there are no secrets to healthy eating. There are strategies that can lead to various performance benefits, but 99% of the goal of eating healthy is to minimize junk and get your diet to consist of real food (you know, the stuff nature makes). With this in mind, our Beachbody nutrition guides use various strategies, all designed to lead you to the same place.

While those nutrition guides tend to be detailed, the 8-Week Transition Diet is for those of you who want simple. Outside of a small list of what you can't eat, you're free to chow down on anything. How hard can that be? You should also find that by making your transition gradually, the road to healthy eating is pretty easy.

Week 1

No junk. Eliminate junk food from your diet. That's it, just junk. Other than this, you can eat whatever and whenever you like. The definition of junk is obvious stuff, like potato chips, candy, ice cream, cake, etc. You may be stricter if you'd like, but for Week 1, don't be too hard on yourself. Just stay out of the 7-Eleven®. For many of you, this step alone will reap huge benefits.

Cheat Days: 2. Since no one's perfect, you get two days to cheat. That's right, two days where you can eat anything you want! A trick on cheat days is to listen to your body. At first, it'll probably tell you it wants whatever you've been denying it. However, over time, it'll start to crave nutrients you're deficient in. Learn to read your body's subtle signs. If you're craving ice cream, you may be short on essential fatty acids. If you crave a hamburger, your diet may lack protein. By listening to your body and learning what it really needs in this way, you can make better food substitutions. It's a way of getting in tune with yourself that will benefit you for your entire lifetime.

Weekly focus: Water. Not swimming in it, though that's good, too, but staying hydrated with it. "They" say you should drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water per day, but I say you should drink more. Shoot for a gallon (though don't worry if you fall short). Yeah, that probably seems crazy but almost all of us walk around dehydrated for most of our lives, which not only hurts the way we function but also makes us hungry when we're actually thirsty. A glass of water when you feel hunger pangs both staves them off and helps you fill up faster when you do eat. As for other drinks, juices and sugary sodas also (obviously) fall into the junk category. And alcohol should be kept to a minimum. We tend to forget (purposely or not) that alcohol has calories. A lot of them: 7 calories per gram. Mixers can be even worse—not only can they add calories, but these sugary calories influence the way alcohol reacts with your body. When you do drink, try and follow these guidelines.

Week 2

Each week's rules are cumulative, so the "no junk" rule from Week 1 will apply until the end, as will each subsequent week's rule. Remember that this is a process. Treat it as though you're in school and the subject is your own body.

Eat small, eat often. Eat every couple of hours while you're awake and try not to eat anything for about three hours before you go to sleep. Following these rules will keep your blood sugar levels more static and your energy level will stay consistent. Try to keep each snack or meal balanced. Something like a 30% protein, 40% carbohydrate, and 30% fat ratio, though you don't need to worry too much about it. Just realize that you need a bit from each macronutrient group. Eat based on what you'll be doing for the next few hours (if you're working out, eat a little more; sitting at a desk, eat a little less). The three-hours-before-bed rule is important, especially for fats and carbohydrates. By allowing time for all the carbs you eat to get into your bloodstream, your body will sleep in fat-burning mode, rather than in calorie-storing mode. This is important because undigested carbs in your stomach at night are stored as adipose tissue (fat).

Cheat Days: 2

Weekly focus: Carbs are not the enemy. Your body needs them, just like it needs proteins and fats. The trick is to choose the right carbs. As a society, we eat too much refined sugar. Complex carbs, like whole-grain breads, whole-grain rice, sweet potatoes, and legumes are outstanding foods. Even fruits, which have simple carbohydrates wrapped in fiber, are exceptionally healthy. While you don't want a diet based on nothing but carbs, making the right carb choices will maximize your body's potential. Try to avoid white rice and flours. Read labels, and try to avoid ones that use the word "enriched," because this means these products have been stripped of their natural nutrients, overprocessed, and then fortified with a few random nutrients.

Week 3

Eat some colorful, low-density food at every meal. These are foods that take up a lot of space without a lot of calories. Veggies are the most obvious example. You can eat a salad bowl overflowing with lettuce and veggies and you most likely won't exceed 100 calories. By eating low-density foods like veggies and fruits, you'll keep your portions under control naturally, because they have very few calories for their size. Conversely, high-density foods, like chocolate and butter, are loaded with calories in even the smallest amounts. So beware of salad dressings and other things you add to salads and veggies. Only add enough for flavor; don't fill up on them. When it comes to live foods, the richer the colors, the fresher the products tend to be. Try to eat a variety of colors in your diet. This simple-yet-random-feeling act will help ensure that you're covering all your nutrient bases.

Cheat Days: 1

Weekly focus: Protein at every meal. This becomes even more important as you eat more low-density food, because protein tends to be high-density. Many veggies have a lot of protein, but the quantity you must consume starts to become prohibitive. Try to get some protein—meat, dairy, legumes, nuts, or seeds each time you eat, especially when you're working out hard, because you need to repair broken-down muscle tissue. Since your body can only utilize a certain amount of protein at once, do your best to eat small amounts often (starting to see a theme?) Reading labels is a simple way to learn how to estimate your protein intake. You'll notice natural foods don't have labels but once your diet is comprised mostly of these you'll no longer need them. More on this later.

Week 4

Cook at home. One of the best ways to control your eating is to prepare all your meals yourself. Eliminate all fast food (which hopefully happened in Week 1) and most other restaurant food. You may still eat food from certain restaurants where you can be sure of the ingredients (most will be savvy enough to make a point of how healthy their food is). As you may have seen in the news, restaurants tend to use alarming quantities of salt, among other things. This single step will often bring your body closer to homeostasis (its desired state of balance). This can be hard for many of us because we now have to plan our meals and prepare ahead of time, but try to treat it like vocational school—you don't learn a new "job" without a little retraining.

Cheat Days: 1

Weekly focus: Fat is essential. Remember that fat is a vital part of your diet, not just something that makes you fat. What is not vital is junk fat in processed foods. Healthy fats come from fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, etc.—natural sources. You need to be careful about that amount of fat you eat because it's very dense. At 9 calories per gram, it contains more than double the calories of carbs and protein.

Week 5

Reduce starchy carbohydrates. Starches include rice, bread, potatoes, corn, beans, and other legumes. While many of these are in no way bad foods, most of us eat too much of them. The goal here is to cut way down on them, if not totally out, and then add them back in when your body feels like it needs energy. This will teach you the relationship you have with carbs. They are vital for energy but eating too many of them leaves us lethargic (and eventually fat). Once you figure this out, your entire relationship with food will change.

Cheat Days: 1

Weekly focus: Sugar is only beneficial after a hard workout or during a long one. Your body doesn't need processed sugar. But if you really enjoy it and can't avoid letting some sneak into your daily diet, the one-hour period after you exercise is the best time to indulge. During this window, your blood sugar is low, because you've used it up to finish your workout (assuming you pushed yourself), and eating sugar during this time will help you recover faster because it speeds into your system and initiates the recovery process. Adding a little protein, but not too much, will enhance your recovery even further.

Week 6

If man makes it, don't eat it. This is likely to be the hardest week of your diet. You want to eat onlywhole foods and eliminate all processed foods, even good ones, for the week. This includes breads, most salad dressings, all cereal, luncheon meats, cheese, dried fruits, anything with preservatives, and alcoholic beverages. What you can eat are whole foods such as fruit, raw or steamed vegetables, meat (sans any type of sauce), natural whole-grain rice, poached eggs, etc. Since your eating habits have been slowly changing, this shouldn't be that big a shock to your system, but it will still likely be hard. Try and get creative. There are now many raw and whole food "cook" books that can help keep you entertained.

Cheat Days: 1

The "cheat day" mentality is a good one. Decadent desserts, a night at the buffet, drinking with friends, etc., can be good for you as long as they are rewards and not habits. Studies proving this have been steadily appearing for about as long as we've been studying things. All work and no play does, indeed, make Jack a dull boy.

Weekly focus: Nuts and seeds make great snacks. A handful of raw almonds or cashews is a quick and easy snack that goes a long way. Don't be put off by the high fat count of nuts, because this means it takes fewer of them to satiate you. Nuts and seeds are loaded with important phytonutrients, as well as good fats, proteins, and fiber.

Week 7

Be yourself. No rules—just try and eat as healthily as you can and do it by feel. Trusting yourself might seem like a lot of responsibility, but by now you'll be up to it. Learning to eat by feeling what your body needs is an important step in your transformation. Consider the way you've been eating over the last six weeks, but don't worry about what you should and shouldn't do. Just fuel yourself. The point is to take a mental break. Relax and allow yourself to eat in a way that feels normal. You may be surprised to find yourself craving something healthy instead of a candy bar or soda. You'll be better at listening to your body because it'll tell you what it needs to eat, as opposed to what you're used to eating. Your body should feel somewhat transformed.

"Reward for a Life Well Lived" Days: 1

Weekly focus: If you're so hungry at night that you can't sleep, try a protein shake. A recent study confirmed what's been a focus of this diet for two decades; that protein before bed can raise amino acid activity for a full night of rest.

Week 8

Eat a perfect diet. Let's get after it. No one is better able to tell you what you should eat than you. Our bodies are all different, and the key to your own perfect diet is learning about how your body reacts to different foods under different circumstances. Your journey over the last seven weeks should have brought you to a new understanding of how food affects your body, both for good and for bad. The time has come to test it. See how well you can eat for a week. In fact, see how well you can eat for the rest of your life. Live and enjoy.

Reward Days: 1, of course!

Weekly Focus: Don't bonk. Bonking is a state when your body runs out of blood sugar and glycogen for energy. If you feel like your workouts are going backward instead of forward, this is a likely culprit. Use your energy level as your gauge. As soon as it starts to drop, start adding carbs back into your diet until you feel energized all day long. When you feel energized during your workouts and the rest of the day, you'll know you've found the right balance between carbs and other nutrients. Also, remember that as your body puts on more muscle, you will need to eat more. Muscle weighs much more than fat, so as you gain muscle and lose fat, your body shrinks without losing weight. You will also require more calories in order to maintain your muscle. So, when you're working out hard, don't be afraid to eat more carbs than you do otherwise.