Why I LOVE being a Team Beachbody Coach!

Today I want to share why I truly love being a Team Beachbody Coach and how the last month has changed my outlook on life and made me a more confident and happier person. I know many of you by now are probably aware of this new adventure I've taken on, but probably don't know much about being a Beachbody Coach. I wanted to write today about all the wonderful things that it has brought into my life as well as the people I've met.  I also want to squash any misconceptions and thoughts that you might have.

 Beachbody coaching just fell into my lap one day. This isn't something that I sought out to do at all. I had started on my own Beachbody program to get back into doing something I loved which is working out, eating healthy, and running. After becoming a mom finding time to workout was hard. As a mom your always so busy doing things for your children that you are often pushed to the side and you tend to forget about yourself. You're always so busy taking care of other people that you neglect properly taking care of your body with proper nutrition and exercise. Well this is what I did. As a result of always worrying about my husband and my boys I was neglecting myself. I tried my best to eat healthy, but it didn't always happen. I was also not getting exercise and this was causing me to be extremely stressed, over tired, run down, depressed and having constant migraines. I hit a point where I finally said "ALL DONE!" I couldn't do it anymore. I was becoming a person I didn't like. A person that I said I would NEVER be. I was yelling at my children. I was getting depressed and sad and didn't want to go to work. My stomach was in constant pain from eating foods I shouldn't and because of that I was waking up every day with migraines. I had hit an all time low for myself. I was busy with so much between my home life, work, and taking online courses for my Masters that I was running myself into the ground because I wasn't putting the proper nutrition into my body or releasing the stress that was a result of my every day life. I had to do something. I had to start thinking about myself and my health. So in comes Beachbody. I decided it was time to focus on me too. 

One day while looking on Facebook my friend Lauren that I knew from my days at UMass had posted that she had some packets of Shakeology to share with anyone that was interested in seeing what it was all about. I messaged her right away and said I was interested but "What is this Shakeology". So she explained to me what it was and said she'd send it out. Well that's where it all began! I LOVED this stuff! It tasted great, and gave me a new energy, and was so easy to make. I thought to myself why not give this a try? I ordered my T25 Challenge Pack and started on my journey. I couldn't believe how I felt after a few days of drinking Shakeology and pushing play to do my workouts each morning. I was enjoying it so much and sharing my story and love for these programs with others that Lauren said "Chrissy you need to become a coach!". After discussing it with her for about a week I said why not. So here we are today! 

Since becoming a Beachbody Coach I have been so incredibly happy. I have found my love for fitness again and living a healthy daily life. I have become more confident in myself and have been able to open up to others and share this love I have through my Fitness page, Challenge Groups, and this Blog I've created. I am working out every morning and it's relieved so much of my stress. I feel stronger and healthier then I ever have from drinking my Shakeology every day for breakfast, and I've been reaching goals in my running and fitness that I never thought I'd be able to. I've been seeing and feeling incredible changes in my body that I was never sure I'd see again after going through two pregnancies and deliveries that brought me my two beautiful sons. However, what I have enjoyed more since becoming part of the Beachbody family, and it's truly a family, is seeing the way it is changing the lives of my friends and loved ones. I can't tell you how honored I feel that my family and friends have trusted in me to take the that step with Beachbody to change their lives. When they share in our Challenge groups that they have run their fastest mile to date, or that they are able to do a headstand in their yoga class, or that they've lost 6 pounds in their first week of their workouts, or that they ran a whole 5K without walking I want to scream from the rooftops with happiness. I am so proud of these amazing woman that are getting up every day and hitting the gym, going for a run, or pushing play on their DVD players to do their workout. They are making changes, they are becoming stronger, they are smiling more, and they are feeling AMAZING about themselves and their bodies because they are doing things they never thought they would. I've received messages from friends, family, and acquaintances saying that my blogs, posts, and fitness page is inspiring them to take that step to make a change in their life. That is has helped them to start running again, eating healthier, or get up and go to the gym I can't explain in words the joy that it gives me to hear those words. THAT is why I'm a Beachbody coach! 

It is so easy to fall into a habit, into a rut, where you just don't feel you can get out of it. We as woman are always taking care of other people and often forget that it is just as important for us to take care of ourselves. When we don't take care of our bodies, we are unable to be the best we can be for those people that we love. Since finding Beachbody and becoming a coach I have met so many incredible people that inspire, support, create, and motivate me and countless others every day to be the best selves we can be. I've never been a part of a company that is so focused on helping other people. That's what it's about. It's not about the sales that we make, it's not about pushing products on others, it's about finding a program that works for each person to help them start feeling better about who they are and how they feel. When you are living a healthy active life it changes your soul deep down. I am probably the busiest I've ever been with the responsibilities I take on every day when I wake up, but I'm the happiest I've ever been because I am able to help people every day feel great about themselves and in return I'm taking better care of me. Yes being a Beachbody coach is a job and it provides me with some extra money for my family and the company provides some great incentives and rewards to their coaches when you reach certain sales goals, however I can tell you that with all the coaches I've met their heart is in this to help others and see the accomplishments those people on their teams reach.They are here to inspire, uplift, and encourage people to reach their health and fitness goals. They are here to motivate others to get up every day and stay accountable in making healthy choices. Beachbody coaches are here to challenge you, to strengthen not only the body but the mind, and to have you push beyond your limits and reach your maximum potential. We are here to to help transform you into YOUR BEST SELF! This is why I'm a Beachbody Coach! I want to also thank everyone that has trusted in me and has taken a chance and joined me on my team. You are amazing women and I'm so proud of you. I know you are going to go far and reach goals you may have never thought possible. You are strong and you can do it! Stick with it every day, keep pushing play, keep taking those steps to run another mile, and keep making healthy choices and YOU WILL GET THERE! YOU WILL DO IT! Remember your toughest competition is you! Look in that mirror each day and say "I Will Win!"

Lots of Love, 

Chrissy 
Team Beachbody Coach

The More I run, the more I love my body...

This morning I woke up at 5:30 am and went for a run. It was the first time I've ever gotten up that early to head out before the boys and my husband woke up. I have to say, I will be doing this every Sunday morning. It was quiet in the house, just so peaceful. I started the coffee, got my running clothes on, and sat for a few minutes while I took a few sips of coffee. When I walked outside the air was crisp and cool. Just perfect for a run. I heard the birds chirping as the sun came up. I turned on my Pandora as I stretched and thought about my run. How I was going to move my feet. How I was going to place my strides, and how my breathing would be calm and even. And I smiled. I smiled because every time I run I feel stronger, I feel happy, I feel empowered. I thought to myself how when I was younger I never thought that I would become a distance runner. I was a sprinter. I ran short distances at full speed. However, when at track practices or meets I would always watch the long distance runners with admiration. I wanted to be like them. They always looked so strong. So graceful. So commanding. I would watch in awe. I wanted to have that strength, that stamina, that presence. Today I can say that I AM A DISTANCE RUNNER. I accomplished a goal a few years ago when I ran my first 1/2 marathon. When I crossed that finish line I cried. I cried with joy that I DID IT, but I cried because I proved to myself my body is strong, and my heart and soul are stronger. I did something I never thought possible. 
    As I started taking my first steps this morning I thought how when I first started my journey as a runner I would have a hard time breathing. I would often stop because my legs couldn't go any further and I had to catch my breath. But now today I can run over three miles without stopping, I can conquer the hills that used to conquer me. My feet move without thought, and I often forget how I got to the end. Today I can say I enjoy running.
   As I ran this morning I felt the crisp air across my face. The birds chirping. The sun was rising ahead of me and the road curved behind me as I ran each step. My stress and worries were released with each drop of sweat. The music played in my ears and the beat of the music drove my stride. I know some people wonder why runners enjoy running so much. I can say I used to wonder the same thing, but today I know why. I can run and enjoy the beautiful scenery the passes by. With each run I become stronger. I am able to release the stresses of every day life. The demons of my past melt away. I gain confidence and self assurance. I feel with each run that I am capable of more then I ever thought possible. I am in awe of what my body is capable of. I am a fighter! I AM A RUNNER! 

The sounds of the dam were so calming and relaxing this morning. I stopped and listened to the sounds of the water crashing and running across the rocks.

The steam rose off of the water this morning as fish and bugs jumped and splashed in the water.

The moon was still out when I headed out for my run.

This morning I took the road less traveled by :-)

   

My Mother's Day and The Importance of Family Support

       Hello Everyone! Happy Friday! I've been wanting to write this blog all week, but things were pretty crazy this week! I would start working on my post and then something would come up and I didn't get it finished. It's now Friday night and I'm finally getting the time to sit down and share with you about my Mother's Day. It was truly a wonderful day and it really could not have gone better then it did. The boys were very well behaved on Sunday, and all you other Mom's know that doesn't happen often ;-). Well at least it doesn't in my house, they seem to enjoy nagging, bothering, pestering, teasing, and yelling at one another...although that is what siblings do, I remember the days when I was younger and my three siblings and I did the same thing and drove my Mother crazy as well. Despite how often they argue they also love to play together, stick up for each other, and cause mischief together ;-). They are boys through and through and I don't know how I could ever love them more then I do already.
       Now I want to share about my Mother's Day not just because the day was so wonderful, but because it is about the support and love I have from my husband and my two little boys in this journey of living a healthier life, staying fit, and doing what I love to do. Since I decided to become a Team Beachbody Coach and make this change for myself to be healthier and more fit it didn't just change my life but it changed theirs as well. Having the time to run, workout, and make healthy meals is something I need their support in. It wouldn't happen without them. For me to do this they also need to change what they do at times so that I can have the time to do something that makes me happy. When I take the time to exercise or go for a run my husband stays with the boys which means he is not able to do something he may want to or need to do at the time. We have agreed since the beginning of our relationship that we will make it work because we are a team and we support one another in doing what makes us happy, what makes us a better person. When we are happy and working on our goals and dreams it only betters us as a family. 
    This weekend for Mother's Day we said no phones, no internet, it's going to be a family day. We went to a local farm just up the street and picked out vegetables and flowers to plant. We have wanted for years to grow our own vegetables and we said this year "We Are Doing It"!We got some Peppers, Tomatoes, Spinach, and Summer Squash. We got pots to plant them in so we could do container plants this year being our first year we thought it would be a great way to start. It was so wonderful spending the days with my boys outside digging in the dirt and planting flowers and vegetables. It was truly good for the mind and soul. The boys helped put the soil and compost in the pots to plant the vegetables, they helped dig the holes for the flowers, and enjoyed finding worms. They are so excited to grow vegetables that we can pick ourselves and put into our food. I'm hoping that by growing our vegetables it may help my youngest son Zachary eat more vegetables and try new things. 
    The reason I'm sharing this is because when you are deciding to make a change in your life to better yourself, remember you are not only changing your life, but you are changing the life of your family as well. To be successful in your journeys having the help, support, and encouragement from your family will make all the difference. Make them a part of your journey. Include them in what your goals are so they can help motivate you and help you stay accountable. Living a healthier more active life is something that is going to benefit them just as much as it's going to benefit you. By making them a part of your journey it's going to make it easier for you to stay on track. I love the mornings when I workout and my boys join me, or when my husband knows that I wasn't able to get in my morning workout he tells me when he gets home from work to go for a run because he knows how it relieves my stress and makes me happy. Yes you are the one that makes the choice to change your life, you are the one that looks in the mirror every day and has to be happy with yourself, but when you have the support of the loved ones around you it makes it easier for you to reach your goals. 

 

Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Hello Everyone! A few days ago my Mother posted this picture on her Facebook page, and it really stuck with me. 

I've always been the type of person that enjoys sports, working out, and fitness. I'm the type of person that is up early and is going, going, going all day doing something. When I was in high school I ran track, did high school gymnastics, and a private club gymnastics, as well as worked part time and attended school (obviously) so needless to say I was very busy. Being someone that is always doing multiple things at once and active I have always found it hard to understand those people that are not that way, or I guess I find it hard to understand when people often say they don't have time to take care of themselves. But then when i saw this picture the little light bulb went off in my head....people don't want to be uncomfortable. They don't want to step out of their comfort zone so they make up reasons why "they can't". The time isn't going to just be there, you have to make that time. There is always something else that you are going to be able to do, but you need to remember that you need to put yourself first, because it's going to make you a better person, which in return is going to be better for your family. So your probably thinking get to the point... When people make excuses or say they don't have the time to exercise, go for a run, or eat healthy foods, it's because it's not Comfortable. In our world today everything is geared towards comfort...but being fit and healthy isn't something that is "comfortable". It's work. It's hard. It makes you push yourself to your limits physically and mentally. Your body will be sore and achy. Your muscles will be tired and screaming at you sometimes from you working them hard. But you need to remember it's worth it. You are making your body stronger. You are making your body healthier. You are working your mind, body, and soul to be the best it can be. The best things in life aren't easy and they aren't always comfortable. If you think of your life with your family or best friends your relationships weren't always "comfortable". At times they're hard....they're really hard, but when you push through those difficult times and you make it to the end, those bumps in the road were 110% worth the journey. 

So what I'm getting at is this. To make that change in your life whether it be to loose weight, eat healthier, or check something off your bucket list it is not going to be easy. It's not going to be comfortable. It's going to be hard...DAMN HARD...BUT it's worth it. You're going to have to work at it every day. You might have to get up before the sun is up so you can get in your workout before the kids. You are going to sweat. You are going to be sore. You are going to have to grit your teeth and fight the urge to eat that chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven. But when you do that. When you are icing your legs and popping some Ibuprofen because you ache walking up those stairs you need to remember how rewarding it's going to feel when you take that measurement, step on that scale, or take that after picture and see the changes. Yes you're going to have to give things up at times, yes you're going to have to put mind over body and push yourself, but isn't it going to be worth sacrificing that comfort to better yourself? Isn't it worth taking care of your health and your soul to be a little uncomfortable sometimes? Step out of that comfort zone. Make a change. Do it today, because you are worth it! YOU MATTER! 

~Chrissy

Team Beachbody Coach

Setting Goals! Don't Be Afraid To Dream Big!!

Hello Friends! Happy Wednesday! You're half way through your work week! That's always exciting :-) Today I want to discuss setting goals for yourself and dreaming big. This is so important not only in your journey to a healthier and happier you, but in all aspects of your life. Imagine if you never set goals for yourself.Where would you be? You often probably don't even realize that you have goals that your working towards. For example wanting to remodel your house, working for a promotion at your job, or something as simple as cleaning your house and washing that pile of dirty laundry. Those are often things you know you want to do, but may not consciously think about because you are in autopilot and moving through your daily motions. Without goals we wouldn't get too far in life. They are what drive us. Goals are what makes us have something to look forward to. It's that finish line at the end of that long race that you have thought of every mile you cross. If you think about it you've set goals for yourself ever since you were a child. When you were a baby you wanted to crawl and then you wanted to walk so you could play with the big kids. Goals start with those simple little milestones and work towards the bigger ones in life. We learn to ride a bike then eventually drive a car. Each goal has small steps you take before you reach the big ones as you work towards that final finish line. 

I want you to think about your goals. What are some things in your life, not only in your fitness journey, but in your life that you want to accomplish? What is something that you've wanted to achieve for a long time that you haven't yet? Lets write those down. When you write down your goals and place them somewhere that you can see them on a daily basis it solidifies them. It makes them real. It holds you accountable and you're going to work harder to reach those goals. A great way to do this is to make a dream board. Write down, post pictures, and make a list and put it there. Write down those steps, that road map, on how your going to reach those goals and accomplish your dream. Look at it every day and work towards reaching those goals. Those DREAMS are yours! You CAN DO IT! When it comes to your fitness journey you need to have your WHY. Why do you want to do this? What are you working towards and WHY is that important to you? Have you always wanted to run a road race? Have you dreamed of running a Half Marathon? Well write that down! Have you gained a lot of weight over the years and want to fit back into those jeans sitting in your closet? Well take them out of your closet, hang them in your room and look at them every day. That is motivation! That is your WHY! You need something to strive for, something that pushes you every morning to get up out of bed and WORK for. Is it that your kids are running around and want you to play but you don't have the energy? Well get up every morning, put in that DVD, and push play. YOU CAN DO THIS! It's your time, it's your day! Take that first step, write down those  goals that you want to accomplish! And DREAM BIG. MAKE IT HAPPEN! Not tomorrow, but TODAY! It's YOUR DAY! I'm with you and we can do it together! 

Much Love, 

~Chrissy
Your Team Beachbody Coach 
-http://www.beachbodycoach.com/clocke116

Small Steps...It's The Little Things

I want to share with you all a little about my run yesterday. On nice days I will often go for a run on my lunch break. Working as a preschool teacher I can have EXTREMELY stressful days. For some reason this year has been a pretty tough one with some of the children I have, I often say they're lucky I love them so much ;-). They can truly wear me out, so I will go for a run to clear my head from the morning stresses to be ready for the afternoon when the wake from rest. Yesterday was a perfect day for a run. The sun was shining, the air was cool, and there was a little breeze, but just enough to keep me from sweating and overheating. It was truly perfect! 

As I started my run I had a little assignment for my coaching class to take a video of me being active to share with everyone. So I started by videoing what I could of me stretching, (it's hard to video yourself lol), and then off I went. When I started running my feet hit the ground in a rhythm. A cadence began. My breathing quickened, and my heart started beating faster. I no longer had to think about moving my feet, they just did it on their own. Katy Perry was singing in my ear and all my worries and stresses began to melt away. My mind started thinking about all the things are going on in my life. I truly feel lately I'm  in the best place I've ever been in. I'm happy, I'm enjoying my new career venture that I'm able to share with so many special people in my life, and it's helping me to feel refreshed when working with my preschoolers every day. I began to think about how I've been able to help my Mom and how she's feeling the happiest, healthiest, and strongest she ever has and she's smiling every day! That in itself is enough! I thought about how I've been able to reconnect with old friends and make new ones and how they are trusting in me that to help them reach their health and fitness goals and to be the best version of themselves. As I ran a smile began to cross my face because I realized how blessed I am and how thankful I am to God for giving me these amazing opportunities. Opening this door, taking this small step, has lead to all of these wonderful things. How trusting in an old friend has brought me some amazing opportunities, but has also brought happiness to those close to me. I realized that when we at times have to take a chance and step out of our comfort zone, something that is not always easy, we are opening a new door that can bring some amazing change into our life. I've always trusted that what is meant to happen will, I just have to keep plugging on and not giving up.

 What I love about running is that I don't have to think about what I'm doing. That it gives me time alone to process all the things going on in my life, and when my endorphins kick in it releases all the stress that tends to build up. It brings me clarity but it is also something that provides my body with strength and health. Running is a great metaphor for so many things in life. Each small step you take brings you on a journey to a bigger adventure. You cross paths, and conquer hills, and even mountains. You can run a smooth path at times without any bumps or potholes, or you can run rocky, bumpy trails, that may at times get muddy. However, in the end each small hurdle you cross eventually brings you to the top of that mountain, across that path, or through that mud, and in the end you reach the end of the journey. When you cross that finish line and you look back you realize how you've made it through every obstacle. It may not be easy, it may be super hard. It may even have been the most difficult path you've ever run, however, YOU DID IT! You conquered each step. In the end you are stronger then you were in the beginning. Each run makes you stronger. It makes you a BETTER YOU. So as you take that first step in your new journey. As you think about your goals and what it is you want to achieve to be happier and healthier. Know that the journey is long, it's not easy, and you may hit obstacles, but each small step you take brings you to that end. It brings you closer each day to that finish line, and you can do it. You can reach it. You just have to remember to take each step. Each opportunity that crosses your path because it could bring you some amazing changes in your life that may not have been something you ever planned or thought you would do. But it can take you around that corner and bring you to a happier more amazing life that you never expected. Just think about it :-) 

Have A Great Saturday! 

Much Love, 

Chrissy