What I do.

I wanted to do a pretty in depth blog post about what I do as a coach...and how it literally gets done. And how I've been able to make a small side income and take care of my health and wellness - while working a full time job, being a wife, and doing 8,000 other things because I just can't say no. :)

I feel like the judgement of others tends to get clouded and for this reason most people just think I post sweaty selfies and try to sell products all the time. NEGATIVE.

I workout FOR ME. And I post a sweaty selfie because that's my accountability to the people I'm helping.

I run challenge groups on Facebook - to help other women maintain motivation and encouragement while they are working out. Most of the time, I'm not making any money at all because people borrow programs from friends or already have a program, so essentially I'm a free coach probably 80% of the time.

So this is a run down of my day as a coach, you'll end up seeing it's so much more about my journey than it is about making money. I just so happen to have the chance to work with wonderful women and make a little money on the side at the same time!

My DAY:

5:30 AM - wake up, put in a load of laundry, take the dog and cat outside, unload the dishwasher, and clean up the kitchen, make Jared a coffee

Workout! (never more than 30 minutes!)

Post a sweaty selfie, check in to all challenge groups and post a sweaty selfie there too!

6:45 - 7:00 AM Shower

7:00-7:30 AM Get ready and drink Shakeology
(and then go to school! But since it's now summer...clean the house, go get groceries, run errands, etc..)

7:30 AM -3:30 PM Live life - whether I'm in school or I'm at home during the summer, I'm normal. I spend time making meals, hanging with friends, going shopping, watching TV. Summer is pretty busy so I'll be mapping out a large calendar plan and trying to get organized today.

3:30-4:30 PM Write a blog post, check in with a few interested people, answer messages and emails, post a status

4:30-6:00 PM - Dinner and time with the Family!

6:00-7:00 PM - Clean up dinner and red up the house from the day!

7:00- 9:30 PM - Watch TV and multitask while responding to questions. Hootsuite more challenge groups for the following month! (Hootsuite is a social media site where I can schedule my posts to happen in specific facebook groups - a huge time saver when done ahead of time!)

9:30-10:15 PM - Read a great, new, amazing and fulfilling book before hitting the hay.

Then, the alarm goes off and I'm back at it all over again! This isn't about the money for me. This is about bettering myself - this is about trusting my journey! This is about knowing I have something that can help so many people that I HAVE to spread the word about it. That being said, don't EVER be afraid to message me, to ask me a question, to look for recipes. I'll coach you no matter if you buy a product or not. It's what I do. :)

Focus T-25

I have too, I just have too...

*Disclaimer: This isn't a sale post...this isn't a "reason you need to buy this post", this is about YOU understanding how important YOU are!

Maybe it's my love-hate relationship (pretty much adoration) with Shaun T.

Maybe it's the fact that it's only 25 minutes a day.

Maybe it's because I had amazing results and it was so worth and I'm going to go crazy if someone doesn't try it.


I love FOCUS T-25! Seriously. My all-time favorite program. Up next on my list? Insanity Max:30 - also by Shaun T. AND a new program coming out this summer called, CIZE. and it's dancing. that's exercise. I can't wait!

However, I really wanted to write a blog post about Focus T-25 because it changed my life.

So, in June of 2014 (has it really been almost a year already??), my friend (and now coach) Jess posted about doing T-25 and I commented on it and I was like, sure, I'll do it!

In the end, I realized that T-25 is the most expensive program that we sell at Beachbody. It's pricey...there are like 10 DVDs, resistance bands, etc. the whole 9 yards! However, the wedding-planning, just graduated from college me (and my fiance at the time, Jared) did not have the extra $180 to spend on this program. Except..I made it work. and I bought it. Without Jared knowing.

When it came in the mail, Jared saw me opening the box and got really upset with me. It was such an awkward part of our relationship where we were just learning how to combine our finances, how to save together, how to spend together, and most importantly how to budget. Eventually, he got over it and he said something I will never forget..."I can't be mad at you for wanting to be healthier."

Little did I know how my life would change!

T-25 is only 25 minutes a day and I started right off the bat working out each morning. I became such a morning person getting up at 5:30 am, getting my workout in, and going on with the rest of my day. BOY, was I the sorest girl in the world! This was the most consistent I had ever been with a program in my entire life. I completed the entire thing, 10 weeks! And I felt amazing!! I lost 12 inches all over my body and you could see it in the way I stood and the way my body looked. This program is definitely worth the cost, it's my alltime favorite program, and it will bring you results. I even started a second round of it that same summer.

So, Alyssa...really, what's the point of this blog other than to tell us about a program that you sell?

As embarassing as this is.....Please take a look at my results...CRAZY.

(**this was last summer.)

Well, let me tell you. ITS WORTH IT (it being...the cost, the time, the energy) TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Seriously! Start saving your money, start pocketing it away, decide.

My coach posted something the other day: "Stop waiting for the right time, the right time is now."

Amen. Take that leap! It's time to take time to get healthier for you. You can be a more patient Mama, a happier coworker, a more understanding spouse. Taking a little time for you isn't selfish - in fact, it's the least selfish thing ever, because it truly makes you a better person for others!

Just another fad

There's been some hubbub (is that a real word?)going around about the new independent consultant jobs that are suddenly coming out of the woodwork and bombarding social media - Jamberry, Mary Kay, Beachbody, Essential Oils, and Sabika are just a few examples, but there are a TON more.

This has been something that has been weighing heavily on my heart. There was a popular blog post that was shared thousands of times written from a woman's perspective on how she was unfriending anyone that was selling anything and that she was tired of it filling up her newsfeed. As an avid "facebook party" attender, I support all Jamberryists, Mary Kay Makeup Artists, Sabika jewelers, Beachbody coaches, and everyone else along the line. I mainly did it for the social aspect, the fun games we'd play in the evening for about an hour or so while I'm in my jammies watching TV. It was just a fun thing. This woman's blog post was so critical and attacking. It actually came across rather selfish, but at the time, I was so embarrassed. I'm a beachbody coach. I'm an independent consultant, technically speaking. Have I been doing this?? Have I been annoying and in people's faces?? Did I make people unfriend me?? #worrywart

Like usual in our social media driven world, an amazing blog post response was written responding to this blog against independent consultants. On this side, the woman wrote that although she can't afford and doesn't want to buy anything ALL the time, she supports the independent consultants. The ones being gutsy enough to post a sweaty selfie or a face with no makeup or those crazy before and afters. She supports them because they are trying to work hard, make money, and have fun at the same time. Is the first blog writer really that angry that people love their job?

I see both sides to the story. Sometimes people get annoying. Sometimes posts become too much. Sometimes you'd rather read the latest gossip of a Facebook friend's lives than learn about another deal, another discount, another group ;) I get it!

So - to those of you I annoy, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for the way my fitness spam and the crazy clean eating and the ridiculous sweaty selfies makes you feel. I'm sorry for the way it makes you feel, but I'm not sorry for them. If you want to know what's going on in my life, that's what it is! I'm working out, eating healthier, and I'm on my way to a WAY better me!

Y'all know me. You know I can't keep a secret, I talk 24/7 (yes, even in my sleep), and that I get way too excited about the littlest things! Then how do you expect me to keep quiet about something that is changing my life so drastically??!?!

Some people may be in it to make money - that's a definite perk. Some are in it because they fully endorse the product - like any girlboss should. But it's still a LARGE part of their life! Your friends are branching out on a limb, trying to begin their own business, create a new source of income, and it's time to show them support ;)

So - to all your Jamberry, Mary Kay, Essential Oils, Tastefully Simple, Sabika, Beachbody folks -- I love you! I'll attend any party you throw! AND I promise to support your business endeavors. To all my followers, readers, my luvahs, my friends, and my team, Support those around you! If you can't financially, at least participate in what you can do. We are on a mission!

As for me, I'm just going to keep on cheesin' in my selfies, trying to make the world a better place one workout at a time, and I'm going to keep on, keepin' on. ;)

A day in the life: My typical clean eating day!

ALOT of people ask me about clean eating, what it is, and how it works! I wanted to give you a sneak peek into my life - what my typical clean eating day looks like!

--I've taken the time to take pictures of everything I eat each and every day. I even documented the times! So this is my schedule of life! :)

6:15 AM - Wake up, scroll phone to wake up, hit snooze four times...
6:30 to 7 - Get ready - I'm pretty low maintenance
7 to 7:30 - pack lunch, prep lunch and AM snack (this doesn't take long at all!!), clean up kitchen, pack up teacher bags, get ready to go!
7:30 - DRINK SHAKEOLOGY!
 7:40-10 - get to school, Teach!

10:00 AM SNACK - typically cottage cheese, and a vegetable like baby carrots or a fruit like raspberries/blueberries
10:15-12:30 Teach
12:30 - LUNCH - Everyday I eat a wheat tortilla, 6 slices of low sodium turkey lunch meat, lettuce, and sprinkle of shredded cheese with an orange
1:00-3:30 - Teach and head home
3:45 - PM SNACK - my favorite snack to make when I get home from school is baked tortilla chips. I put a tortilla on a cookie sheet, sprinkle cinnamon on it, and then bake it at 350 degrees for 7 minutes! Delicious!
4:00-6:00 - check emails, prepare dinner, play with Daisy, watch Friends Reruns on TBS, relaxxxx
6:00 - DINNER - my dinner always consists of some fresh vegetable, some grain (baked potato, cup of quinoa, cup of rice), and some meat - I love my burger recipe I posted earlier, but I also make tacos, chicken enchiladas, baked chicken, etc.
6:30-9 - Workout, shower, do some Beachbody messaging, facebooking, instagramming
9:00 PM SNACK - I love having a cup of fresh fruit before I go to bed! My favorite is strawberries!

"Wait, but Alyssa...you eat 6 times a day??" Yes, why yes I do :) I never go hungry, I'm always full, and I'm boosting my metabolism by keeping it working hard.

I can't stress enough the importance of eating 6 small meals a day, even if you have to hide in the bathroom at work to nibble it down ;) Kidding! Don't rush your food! I don't get a planning period in my morning schedule, I teach straight through from 8:15 to 12:30, however, my students know I'm on track for healthy eating and I can usually take a bite, help a student, take a bite, teach, take a bite, continue on. Do I get to sit down and enjoy my snack? No! haha, but sometimes I have to eat and keep busy!

It's so easy to eat clean! It literally takes one hour, one day to plan everything, decide your schedule, and then from then on, for the rest of your life, it's easy peasy lemon squeezy!! :) If I don't cheat and eat clean, it's easy for me to lose 5 pounds in a week. and Keep.It.Off. Because losing weight is 80% food and 20% exercise. Exercise helps to burn fat and build muscle!

I also can't stress enough the importance of Shakeology and how it's changed my life amazingly! I haven't worked out since the 21 day fix in February (I know..I'm not proud of that...) I just started working out again this week. It's Wednesday - and this morning, I was down two pounds since Monday! BUT! I haven't gained a pound because of Shakeology, if anything I've lost weight! It's true, I really can't believe it how much Shakeology curbs my appetite, and keeps my metabolism going!!

7 Day Clean Eating Challenge

Holy Cow! I haven't written a blog in almost a week...not cool, Alyssa, not cool.
I've had the wonderful privilege of leading a 7 day clean eating challenge for my Beachbody Team! Because of the interest, I opened it up to the other coaches on my team and we ended up having over 60 women join in our clean eating challenge! It was definitely a rough 7 days, but we made it! WE DID IT! And I am more than excited to share results with you :) But before I do that, I want to explain a little bit about the 7 day clean eating group and how it worked.

What is clean eating?
Clean eating is avoiding processed foods and using mostly organic, natural, and fresh ingredients to make recipes! It's about being more conscious of your food's journey from origin to your plate. These ladies really buckled down, focused, and stepped away from the frozen foods, the canned goods, the boxed meals, and started eating healthier! This was just the beginning, because let's be real, we can't just go cold turkey ;)

How does the group work?
Once the ladies signed up on my website (or their coaches), I'd add them to the facebook group that I created. Remember - this is FREE! All they had to do was make a free account and commit to the meal plan/participating in the group. On the Saturday before our group started, I posted the grocery list and everyone went shopping. People were posting their groceries everywhere and it was so fun to see everyone participating! Sunday, I posted the meal calendar for the week just so everyone could have an idea of how it was going to work. From then on, each day I posted twice. In the morning, it was usually something inspirational, and in the evening, it was the recipes and directions for the meal plan the next day. The participation by everyone in the group is what made it special! We had mama's, grandma's, college students, it was such a variety of women working so hard to eat clean and healthy - in the midst of crazy busy and different lifestyles.

What did we eat?
Delicious yummy awesomeness! That's what! I'm kidding..but seriously :)
Here is a break down of what our week looked like!
Monday:
Breakfast: Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
AM Snack: 1/2 Banana, 7 walnuts
Lunch: Tuna Salad
PM Snack: Shakeology/Cottage Cheese
Supper: Honey Dijon Chicken with Steamed Garlic Parm Broccoli
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Berries and Yogurt
AM Snack: Shakeology/2 Eggs
Lunch: Turkey Avocado Wrap
PM Snack: Celery and Peanut Butter
Supper: Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Pineapple and Cottage Cheese
AM Snack: Veggies and Hummus
Lunch: Loaded Baked Potato
PM Snack: Yogurt/Shakeology
Supper:Chicken Tacos with Beans and Quinoa
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit
Thursday:
Breakfast: 2 eggs/Shakeology
AM Snack: Nutty Apple
Lunch: Egg Salad Wrap
PM Snack: 10 almonds and a medium orange
Supper: Steak with Spinach and Baked Potato
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit
Friday:
Breakfast: Strawberry Waffle and Sausage
AM Snack: Yogurt/Shakeology
Lunch: Chicken and Hummus Pita
PM Snack: Veggie and Cheese
Supper: Rosemary Pork Chops with Peas and Wild Rice
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit
Saturday:
Breakfast: Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
AM Snack: 1/2 Banana, 7 walnuts
Lunch: Tuna Salad
PM Snack: Shakeology/Cottage Cheese
Supper: Honey Dijon Chicken with Steamed Garlic Parm Broccoli
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit
Sunday:
Breakfast: Berries and Yogurt
AM Snack: Shakeology/2 Eggs
Lunch: Turkey Avocado Wrap
PM Snack: Celery and Peanut Butter
Supper: Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
Night Snack: Veggies/Fruit

See?! I told you, it was yummy deliciousness and it was ALOT of food. We were allowed coffee, but just one cup with only one teaspoon of milk/sugar. But other than that, mainly water!

Results
  I will share results for the people that reported back to me! I'll use code names instead of real names, just to keep some privacy. Did all 60 women participate? No. Life gets in the way. Did the people that did participate commit 100%? No. Did everyone share their results with me? No. But for the people that did, I'll display here!
I am so proud of each and every person in our group. They are taking the first steps towards a clean eating journey and that is the most important part.
Participants:
A: "4 lbs. and a dress size! I only exercised once and that was on Saturday so it's all the food!!!"
B: down 7 pounds and 13.25 inches
C: 7 pounds and 5.5 inches
D: 2 pounds and 9.5 inches
E: 6 pounds!
F: "4 lbs and 5 inches gone!"
G: 3.8 pounds lost!
H: down 5.6 pounds
I: 3.2 pounds
J: 3.8 pounds
K: 4.6 pounds
L: 6 pounds!

There are so many more ladies (like I said 60++++) that are in my group and just haven't reported results yet! YOU CAN SEE HOW AMAZING IT IS!

THIS WAS ONLY IN 7 DAYS OF EATING! 7!! that's it?!! Imagine if we kept this up until you met your goal! :) It's possible...believe me!

In the end, this was a really really really hard week for me! Although I had been sticking to my nutrition pretty decently since the 21 day fix, I definitely wasn't staying 100% committed to it! This week makes the 21 day fix look easy. During this week, I didn't have a choice what to eat, but with the 21 day fix, I could swap things in and out as I craved them. :) I'm so excited for the next step, because so many ladies have already committed to completing the 21 day fix with me now! Jared and I are starting today with Round 2! WHOOHOO and the ladies will all start next week! I'm so super excited and pumped! It had been a fantastic, tiring, inspiring, and rewarding week!

Personal Development

I am falling more and more in love...
...with Personal Development.

I know I sound like that freaky lady that consistently reads self help books one after another, battling my way through life, trying to be the best I can be. And yes, I have become that crazy lady. I'm diving head first into a pool full of personal development.
--> However, rather than reading self help books, my personal development books are a little different.
I'm reading books on
1. How to enhance myself, not help myself.
2. How to enrich my self, not make myself rich.
3. How to make myself better, not become someone else.
4. How to bloom where I'm planted, not plant myself elsewhere.
5. How to...well you get the picture!


I'm not self-helping, I'm self-enhancing.
I always hated the term "self-help". I mean, yeah, it looks like you are awesome because you have the initiative to help yourself, but it also makes you look kinda sad...like "My life isn't that great, I'm depressed about (insert subject here), I'm trying to read a book about it to help myself."

My mother was one of those self-help people. She was constantly reading books! My personal favorite books of hers was titled, "How to Have a Better Kid by Friday" and it had this 5 day plan of discipline and structure to have better kids. HAHAHAHAHA, I still laugh out loud at that title! Like we were terrible children or something...haha But anyways, she had multiple books on finances, motherhood, wife life, and just plain out being positive ("The Power of a Positive Mom"). I'm not saying any of these books are bad - they stretched my mom, allowed her to grow, and changed her. I just didn't like the point she had to get to to start reading them. On days when she felt she wasn't positive enough, on days when she felt she wasn't a good mom or a good wife, on days when money was really tight and we didn't know how to pay the bills, on her lowest of lows, she turned to these books.

...I hated personal development and self help books for this very reason. I didn't want to be at my lowest of lows. I didn't want to feel sad enough, depressed enough about something in order to decide that I was ready to help myself. I didn't want to personally develop myself because that meant that I felt like I had something I needed to work on and work on badly.

However, coaching has been changing my brain about personal development. You don't have to be at a low point! You don't have to be at a high point! You could be completely mediocre in life, things are normal, life seems fine, and you could always use an empowering book to inspire you on!

I caved and bought a few recommended reads from my coach friends. "You are a BadAss" and "You're Made for a God-sized Dream". I purposefully bought them at the time I did because I was/am happy with life, I feel content, and I know that I'm not currently in my lowest of lows.

So, in the end, I'm falling in love with personal development because I've come to accept that I always have room to grow and be awesome! I think you should come to terms with that too.. :)


*DISCLAIMER** I am NOT saying that you shouldn't read these in your lowest of lows! I highly recommend it! I'm simply stating that I didn't want to be at that point to have to read them, and I realized I didn't have to be! :)

My Why

Often, as soon as you make a goal or a decision, you have a reason for doing so...

In the Beachbody world we call this your "Why". What is your why? Why are you doing this? Why are you choosing to spend time every evening/all day/in the morning dedicating yourself to wellness, health, and fitness, and changing people's lives? Once you sign up as a coach, you'll be asked your why. (sidenote: I think this is a practice we should do FOR EVERYTHING.)

In the beginning, my "why" was a standard one. I wanted to be healthy and fit. But recently, I was asked again about what my "why" was and I thought about it, I dug deeper, and I got to the heart of the matter.

My WHY was rooted with the fact that I'd be helping people change their lives and I knew that in helping people, I would be challenged to do the same thing for myself. I would be challenged to eat healthy, to workout every day, to look for new ways to take care of myself, to remain positive, to be an example. When I became a leader, a coach, it meant that I had to walk this same journey with you all and it meant there was no backing down.

 Rereading that paragraph, it looks a bit selfish - but it's truthful! My why is personal, it's my reasoning, and it makes sense to me.

 

It meant that on those days that I didn't want to work out, on those days that I didn't want to eat healthy - I was going to! I was going to do it for you guys because maybe those days you felt the same and you needed an example.

This brings me back to my coach, Jessica. Jessica and I met when I was a practicum teaching student in her classroom. We clicked instantly. After pulling a few strings, we were able to get paired up and she was my cooperating teacher while I taught in her Kindergarten classroom. SHE IS AN AMAZING TEACHER, someone I aspire to be daily. I loved every minute with her and her class and we both cried on my last day at the end of February. I remember her saying, " I feel like I'm breaking up with someone.." hahahaha! I can't believe it's been a year that I've been in that wonderful room and been with Jessica!

Anyways, Jessica became someone I came to with teaching questions, life advice, and someone I trusted. I remember talking to her about how crazy similar our lives were - both the oldest of three girls, OCD and organization to the max, etc. I trusted her completely (and still do!) After I left her classroom, I started seeing some of her posts on Facebook around April. Apparently she had started a workout program in March and was seeing amazing results. In fact, I got to celebrate with her a couple of months ago when she reached 30 pounds lost! I must've commented on one of her things about getting ready for my upcoming wedding. Immediately she messaged me! She was starting a challenge group and she wanted me in. She answered all of my crazy questions and I joined.

BEST TEN WEEKS EVER! I lost 13 inches on my body, gained amazing friendships from my fellow challenge group ladies, and I felt empowered. I felt strong, I felt able. I had a new energy and a new positive outlook. She asked if I wanted to coach...what?! me?! One more thing to had to my newly married, just graduated, don't have a job yet, plate?

I said yes. :) (After some conversation with Jared of course) I remember telling Jared..."If I am encouraging people to workout, it'll make me workout too!" I guess that must've worked, or maybe it was my incessant whining, but he let me join!

So, recap: Shout out to Jessica - the best woman out there. We are in contact every day! And without her, I wouldn't have established my why.

Recently, I've been even more empowered. As some of you are seeing my successes and my progress, you've been messaging me, commenting, asking me questions -and this is what spurs me on! That fact that my life is making a difference in others, challenging others, making you think, making you question...making you change :) My WHY is because I'm changed by leading you all just as much as you are changed by being led.

Setting those Goals!

 A super duper large part of being a Coach is working on goals and personal development. I'm not gonna lie, in the beginning when my upline coaches were encouraging me to personally develop myself I was annoyed. I didn't want to spend the time each day, this was stupid. Wasn't I already a good person? Wasn't I already developed to where I wanted to be? (*Note in advance, this page will be spammed with awesome picture quotes about personal development and setting goals, there were so many good ones I couldn't decide)

hahahaha, I just laugh at the me that thought those things. I'll be touching more on the aspect of personal development in a later post, but I really really really wanted to talk about setting goals. I made a youtube video a while back about setting goals and how's it's important!  You can see that in the movie clip below :)

 

That video talks about setting goals in regards to weight loss. Which I totally support! But becoming a better person, personally developing myself,  and balancing ALL areas of my life (marriage, teaching, coaching, cleaning, health and fitness) involves goals that stretch far beyond those weight loss walls. And this is something that personal development is, understanding that you can always be better and working towards that each and every day! It exudes such positivity to personally develop yourself!  I feel amazing when I'm setting goals, when I'm trying to reach them, and when I'm helping other people set goals too. My team is reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy and he talks about physically writing down your goals. THEN he says, write down the roadblocks that would get in the way of those goals. So for example, maybe one of my goals is to better communicate with my husband. Something that would get in the way, could be my incessant need to be on my phone and social media all the time. I need to write that down. (Just an example, not real life... ;)) THEN, we have to write down the things that will help us maintain those goals. Keeping up with my previous example, it could be how we spend time eating each meal together at the table without the TV on. The author even mentions that without writing this stuff out, our goals are only fantasies and fantasies don't come true. 

AHHHHH. This book is powerful stuff! Anyways, my goals are so many, so big, so different, but I'm so excited for the road ahead because I have clearly defined goals to make me a better person, a better wife, a better teacher, a better coach, a better daughter, a better friend, and a better sister. 

"What you get by achieving your goals, isn't as important as what you become by achieving your goals." - Zig Ziglar

Below is one of my favorite quotes that I've read so far. I love it so much I read it like 12,000 times. AND I typed it here. and then I read it again :) Enjoy!

Taken from The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. "When you define your goals, you give your brain something new to look for and focus on. It's as if you're giving your mind a new set of eyes from which to see all the people, circumstances, conversations, resources, ideas, and creativity surrounding you. With this new perspective (an inner itinerary),your mind proceeds to match up on the outside what you most want on the inside - your goal. It's that simple. The difference in how you experience the world and draw ideas, people, and opportunities into your life after you have clearly defined your goals is profound!"

 

 I hope this inspires you, I hope this encourages you, I hope you truly truly want to set goals for yourself - in all areas and aspects of your life. Gain a new perspective, create an inner itinerary, and go out and get those dreams!

I'm addicted to food.....

I realized this addiction when I started my 21 day fix last week. I mean, I always knew I loved food.

The Mennonite in me knows that apple dumplings are amazing when warmed and topped with ice cream, a good chicken or macaroni salad makes a great summer day sandwich, and the carbs...oh the carbs. Mashed, baked, cheesy, goodie (these shredded cheesy potato things) - you name the type of potato dish and I was ready to consume it.

I grew up on home cooked food and home made everything. We FEASTED at supper time, every night, and I still love my mama's cooking that she'll send home with me and Jared sometimes. Our Mennonite religion is a culture and it's food life has taken over and gotten me addicted. ( I want to write a book on this as some point - I'm not kidding. Like, how to eat like a Mennonite and train like a beast. ..or something...the title needs work...)

Anyways - back to my addiction. I realized it..on day 1 of the 21 day fix. When my every.single.thought. became about food. When can I eat next? How much do I get? That's not going to enough. I really want a McDonald's meal right now. Who cares about this stupid diet? I'm hungry. My stomach is going to eat itself. When can I eat again? That's too long.

I think that night I even dreamed of food.

Let's be real people, I'm a teacher. So during the day, my brain should be on like 5,000 other things rather than food, but once I was restricted, once I couldn't have it, it consumed my being.

Starting off on this 21 day fix thing, was literally as if my body was going through withdrawal. I had (and still kinda have) headaches. I was tired, exhausted, and cranky. I was shaky.

WHAT THE HECK. The food I was eating wasn't a drug, so why did I feel so addicted, why did I feel so ashamed for missing my old food, and why was I going through all of this withdrawal?!?


Because...my body was loaded down with processed foods, carbohydrates, and heavy heavy meats. I was eating until I couldn't move anymore (at each meal!) and I was slowly destroying my body.

So...I'm still addicted to food, let's be real, that's something that will never leave. But it's a different kind of food...

 - a food that fuels my body instead of fattens it
 - a food that comes from the ground instead of a drivethru window
 - a food that has no "extras" instead of being covered in salt.

That's right kiddos - I'm addicted to organic food and I hope it can stay this way! I'm going to be honest, sometimes I still want salt, and potatoes, and amazingness of a FEAST. Those things are all okay, in moderation. I'm just hoping that I can become addicted to portioning my food and eating more organic and clean eating then ever before. My new mission: Make my husband love this too! :) It's a slow but steady start.... one foot in front of the other...

The 21 Day Fix: It's all in the Preparation

So, in a normal week, I'd only post once! But! I felt so strongly about the support system thing, I HAD to post it and then I was like, "Wait a minute Alyssa! You and Jared are starting the 21 day fix on Monday so you have to post about that too!"

And yes...I'm starting the 21 day fix tomorrow, and yes, Jared is doing it with me, and yes, I couldn't be happier to have a clean eating and workout buddy who I just so happen to be married too.

I'm sure there are multiple questions filling your head - What exactly is the 21 day fix? It sounds terrible, but it's only 21 days, etc. :)

Well, that's why I'm blogging! This blog is going to be about what the 21 day fix is, how you can use it in YOUR life, and how to prep and begin for it. I think I refused to do this program because I didn't think I could give the time commitment to the preparation and the organization of the food - but alas, I once again have been proven wrong and now it's time to explain it all.

1) WHAT is the 21 day fix:
So, you can read the professional description here:
 http://www.teambeachbody.com/workout-routines/21-day-fix-workout
but, my description: It's a workout and portion control program. You get different colored and sized containers (each container is basically a food group), after doing some math you figure out your caloric needs which tells you how many of each container you should have a day. From there, you read the foods you can eat and make a meal plan! If you eat all the containers you need a day, you'll be full - this isn't a "hungry" situation. It also comes with a workout plan that's about a half an hour a day. Do this for 21 days :)

2) HOW it works: basically it's teaching us portion control. As Americans we tend to eat until we are full and we eat three really really big meals. With the 21 day fix, I'm eating six small meals a day! They say (and by that I mean the professional creators of this program) that eventually our bodies will get used to the normal sized and smaller portions we are supposed to eat! Eventually we will only be able to eat so much, eventually our bodies will get rid of these silly "super sized" tendencies! Plus, we are getting a good workout in - so you are sure to lose weight!

3) WHY it works: it becomes a lifestyle - you can apply it to ANYTHING. Birthday party? Portion out your foods. School day? Plan your snacks accordingly for in between classes.

4) HOW to set it up and organize it!
---now this is where I come in! I've spent a lot of time pinteresting, researching, and trying to find the BEST POSSIBLE way to plan for a busy schedule (and I don't even have kids, so I can only imagine!) I combined a bunch of different methods and made them my own. I definitely spent about half a day on my planning and just trying to figure out HOW to make it work. And in the beginning, it's going to take you that long too - just because it's a new thing and you are completely altering your lifestyle and your eating habits. However, now that I have my plan, I'm set for each week and it's easy to write my grocery list, get the food, and be done!
So...here's where I started.

FIRST: I recommend having a way that's easy to document your progress. This will keep you going and help you survive.
I made this :)

As you can see this is how Jared and I will document our weight and our inches lost. We will use pictures for all the rest. Later on, after making this, I used the bottom to figure out all of the math. Jared and I are obviously different sizes meaning we will have different caloric needs. This means our containers and amount of them we get differs as well - but I managed to make it work.

NEXT: Do the math - figure out the number of colored containers you'll each need. Jared isn't a super huge veggie and fruit eater, so I made a list off of the book of the stuff he actually liked.  

I knew how much he needed of each colored container and I divided that up throughout the day, making sure it made sense with the meals. For example, he needed 6 green containers (green = vegetables) and with three main meals and three snacks I was going to give him one green container at each meal. But he didn't like the idea of having vegetables at breakfast. So instead, we doubled up his vegetables at lunch when he eats his tortilla sandwich!

I made a chart like this!

I color coated each food group to have to deal with the containers, so that way I knew we were covered! Finally...

THIRD: I knew he and I weren't home together during the day, so I leave a little note card each day with what he can eat and by color coding it, then he knows what container to measure it with! The creator recommends measuring with the containers, but then putting everything on a plate instead of eating from the containers. In this way, our body begins to recognize how full our plate should actually be.

Finally, I went grocery shopping and this is where I WAS FLOORED. I normally dread buying fresh fruits and veggies - it's costly. But since I had a plan, went in with my list, and bought only things on that list, I came out spending $50 less than I normally do and I'm feeding me AND MY HUSBAND 6 meals a day for the next 7 days...

NOW THAT IS INSANITY.

my cart was only half full!

SO. WE ARE READY! You are probably looking at my calendar of food and thinking, "That is a ton of food!" and it really is! The creator of the program says we probably won't be hungry enough to finish everything. It looks like alot because when we nourish our bodies with processed foods we don't need as much, but since it's almost 100% organic then we need to eat way more!

I'm excited for this week and for our results. I'm even more excited because Jared is doing it with me!!

Next week's blog will be about our first week's results and our plan for the upcoming week! 

In other news...I've set up my Coaching office and I'm ready to kick some butt for the year!

Support System

First – Welcome to my blog – I’m updating, renovating, editing, and trying to make my blog the best blog that it can be. So, you’ll just have to survive my constant changes for a while J

I've always had people who wanted me to follow my dreams, do big things, and were proud of all of my accomplishments! My parents (and sisters) came to every concert, boring awards assemblies, all graduations, ..you name it, they were there. I didn't realize how much I treasured that support until things got hard and I realized how much I NEEDED that support.

Especially in the health and fitness world.

Let's be real...

I grew up, I moved out, and I needed to cook for myself. That was fine with me. I didn't need them around all of the time to applaud as soon as I did good things. I got married, I had Jared :). 

As I started working out, Jared became the person that would make me do it on the days when I didn't want too. Jared was a great support system - and he still is! He always reminds me to participate in my squat group. 

I became a Beachbody coach in late August, early September. My family didn't (and still doesn't) take me seriously at all. I'm not sure if it's because they don't see how it fits into my life (because I don't live with them daily) or maybe it's because I'm not at my goal weight or my goal size, so they think it's another phase. I'm not quite sure. I'm not offended by it at all, it's more of an observation rather. As I began selling and promoting Beachbody products I have found no involvement or support from them whatsoever. I almost feel stupid talking to them about something that I'm so passionate about because in all honesty, they don't really care. Which is fine, they are allowed not to care.

But this brings me to my next point:

Where I have found the best support system in the entire world (besides my husband, who embarks on an adventure with me every day.)

CHALLENGE GROUPS! I have met the most amazing, supportive, and influential women in challenge groups that post every day. They celebrate with me when I lose those stubborn pounds and they mourn with me when that chocolate cake is too irresistible and I take a bite. They proudly share sweaty selfies with me every day - not afraid to be makeup-less, sweaty, and natural in front of a camera, motivating me to complete my workout for the day. They encourage me to keep going - through the lazy days, the stressful days, and the easy days. They know what it's like to build a relationship with someone, to be in constant contact, to help them find the program, and for it to either follow through or fall through. For these women, some who I have and never will meet in person, I am grateful!

Although I wish my family would invest and involve themselves in my Beachbody life, I know it will come with time.  Especially as they start seeing my progress! :) However, I want to stress the importance of a challenge group, the solid foundation and support system that helped me complete workout programs day in and day out. Challenge groups are constantly forming and going on all around you - please ask me! If there isn't a challenge group for you, I will make one!

We all need support in life - whether for our passions, our jobs, our kids, and our marriages. Take advantage of that support. You can do it on your own, I'm not saying you can't! But, the journey is so much easier, the progress is so much sweeter, and the end result is so much better when you have your cheer leading squad running alongside you the entire way. 

Love and blessings to you all.. 

Never miss a Monday....

When I had first joined a challenge group, my coach would post her "sweaty selfie" and say, "Never miss a Monday!!" I think this came from our Focus T-25 workout program. Either way, I kinda associated it with her and her positive Monday talk...

..I'm not gonna lie..I hate Mondays. Don't we all? It means we have to get up early, restart the work week, count the days until another weekend. We were supposed to spend our weekend recharging, however we spent it using up the last of our battery life by staying up late, sleeping in, revamping our sleep schedules for a mere two days just to have more fun - only making Monday look worse and worse and dreading the alarm that would wake us up at an ungodly hour.

I kinda always felt bad for Monday. It wasn't Monday's fault that it was placed as the start of the week again.

...off on a rant there.

Anyway, never miss a Monday rings truer than ever in the weightloss, health and fitness world. Monday sets the tone for the week. It's where we reestablish those habits that we've set to help us continue them into the week.

I've lived through this, I've experienced it.

I miss a workout on a Monday. On Tuesday, it's really really hard to push myself to workout - and I'll probably do it half-heartedly if I do. By Wednesday, I've already decided that Monday and Tuesday didn't go great, so why bother finishing the rest of the week.

NEVER EVER MISS A MONDAY. Even if that means you have to get up a little earlier, be a little crankier (which in the end you won't be because exercise produces endorphins and endorphins make you happy), drink a little more coffee, stay up later, rearrange your schedule, set 5 alarms (that's me!) NEVER EVER MISS A MONDAY.

Monday's are important. Today, my alarm went off and I hit the snooze. Next thing I knew, I was in a hurry and it was time for me to leave for work with no time to workout and shower. I knew this could set me off for the whole week - I knew not waking up on time would make my day shift. So right away (as soon as I was coherent enough to wake up and realize I missed my workout) I planned my day, switched a few things, and scheduled in times for my butt workout!

So, I end with this..
What did you do to NOT miss your Monday? It could be the simplest of things - taking the stairs, ordering a salad instead of a burger, etc.

Today: I drank my Shakeology for breakfast and I'm just about to complete my butt exercises for my "Drop it like a Squat" (hilarious name!) challenge group!

Remember... :)

My fitness journey...

I'm only 5'3" and I've always been a little more on the athletic/thicker build side. This has made me consistently in the "overweight/obese" category simply because of my height. I went through the awkward puberty stage like most people.

The summer before my senior year of high school, I spent the summer as a camp counselor. I gained ten pounds in six weeks eating camp food. Most people think you'll lose weight at camp due to the constant activities - which I guess is partially true. Most people also think camp food isn't that great. However, MY CAMP has cooks that make delicious homemade food for all meals of the day and I loved indulging myself in bacon every morning, scrumptious sandwiches at lunch time, and roast beef and mashed potatoes at dinner. All homemade, all mouth watering, all not so great for you...

When I returned home from that summer at camp, I was ten pounds heavier and it was noticeable. I was at the heaviest weight I have ever been in my entire life, 176 pounds.

 It was so easy for my weight to fluctuate. I felt like a bloated whale. I was also slightly depressed. My family had just taken in a homeless girl who had my room, this was my first summer "away" and it seemed like my friends had changed and moved on, and it was my senior year and I was supposed to be making decisions that would affect the rest of my life. My mom had noticed my weight gain ( I mean, who didn't...) and mentioned something. It wasn't a rude comment, rather an observation. The fact that someone had observed and then said something cut me to the core and I made a decision then and there to change this for the better.

I started eating a hard boiled egg for breakfast, a salad at lunch at school, and then simply watching my portions with my family at dinner. Senior year was BUSY - I was running around doing everything with everyone that I didn't' really think about snacking outside of meal time. I also dusted off those Seventeen Magazine fitness pull outs I had saved from years of subscribing. I did the easy exercises (lunges, squats, different types of crunches/pushups etc.) twice a day - once in the morning, once at night. Within three or four weeks time, I had lost 16 pounds! New weight: 160 lbs. WHAT.  I couldn't have been happier! Getting elected to the homecoming court really encouraged me to continue with my habits.

Senior year continued, I graduated, life moved on, and I returned to summer camp determined to not gain weight. I ran often with some other counselors, limited my portions, made healthier choices, and had a crush on a guy that helped me to keep my figure in check! I was down 10 pounds that summer and in the best shape I had been in awhile. I felt pretty, comfortable in my body, and good about myself.

My "crush" and I started dating at the end of the summer, a month before I was to head to college about three hours away. Because we had just started dating, we went out on dates to restaurants and movies, ice cream, - all the fun stuff. However, I made healthier choices and was able to remain the same weight.

College...oh college. Everyone says you'll gain the freshman fifteen. It's definitely true and possible! However, I was blessed with roommates that enjoyed exercise and we worked out almost every day freshman year.

This is my crew - my roomies!

 We used our free gym privileges with ease and you could often find us either working out to Jillian Michael's before class in the morning or in the evening hitting up the elliptical.We joined Zumba classes and had a lot of fun. I gained about five pounds my freshman year, but I'm going to say it was all muscle... even my sister said I looked good! ;)

This was at the end of my freshman year of college. DANG ;)

Sophomore year is when it all started going downhill. I don't think adults remember what college is like once you get into harder classes. I HAD NO TIME. I was barely sleeping let alone working out. I am one the most organized and prepared people I know, but in between school, work, and homework, all I wanted to do was socialize for an hour or so during mealtime. I didn't want to/didn't see the possibility of getting up earlier than I already was in order to workout. I gained some weight (I'd say my sophomore 15) putting me back up at 180)

I graduated college a year early so my junior and senior years were "together". This year, I pretty much hovered around the same weight. My crush turned boyfriend from camp asked me to marry him in October! I was engaged, getting ready to graduate, and preparing for my student teaching semester. Life couldn't have been better! Upon graduation, I moved into the house we would live in together after our wedding. I stepped on the scale and saw that I had gained a little weight and was up to 187 lbs. I wanted to be in shape for the wedding - that was my original plan -  but my life had literally just been CRAZY! Student teaching, graduation, and wedding planning - along with all those parties since we had graduated. I was searching for a job WHILE planning my wedding WHILE fixing up/painting our home WHILE figuring out my life. It was an intense time for my body and my brain. I wasn't eating that much at all because I was so busy and that made it worse for my body.

I started running. We live in a beautiful countryside and the mornings are simply gorgeous so I started running. Well,...first I walked. Then I jogged. And slowly but surely it turned into something I NEEDED to do. My cooperating teacher that I worked with while student teaching, Jessica, had become a Beachbody coach and asked if I would be interested in any of her programs to get ready for the wedding. I chose Focus T-25 with Shaun T. It seemed like the best program for me because it was only 25 minutes a day! Throughout the next ten weeks, I lost 12 inches! 12 INCHES on my body!! I didn't lose a single pound and that was okay because I realized the scale is just a number. I dropped a pants size and have never felt better. My weight might have not changed but my body was changing and I felt amazing on my wedding day.

Honeymoon over and now I'm back at home with my new husband trying to figure out how to live with a boy and make it work. I wanted him to love my cooking so I made every possible thing I could that was delicious and potatoey and filled with butter. I guess you could call me Paula Dean :) This wasn't good for either of us. On top of that, the stress of all those life events of mine within a 3 month period (student teaching, graduation, wedding planning, wedding, home, expenses, learning to live with a boy, job searching) had caught up with my body and I was sick. My stomach hurt, I was nauseous, I was extremely exhausted and napped every afternoon. My stomach was puffy and looked like a 6 month pregnant belly. My first thought was...have I pooped recently? yes. My second thought was...am I pregnant? 8 negative pregnancy tests later I accepted I wasn't pregnant but I still wasn't getting my time of the month.

Ladies, this messes with your body!!! I'm still struggling with my monthly today and it's been so hard getting back on track and handling my body along with it. It caused me to feel bloated, gain water weight, and at one point I was up to 200 pounds, 200 pounds?! I cried that day. I also cried when a lady at the grocery store asked when my baby was due. That is how pregnant and bloated I looked, that is how bad I felt.

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The most current photo of me (taken...three days ago!) - ignore the "R", it was for a craft project :)

SO - my whole story has been told. "But Alyssa, where are you now?!" I'm working on it! I'm figuring out my body, I'm getting further and further away from that 200 number and I'm bringing others with me. This story is so new, so vivid, and so real to me because it wasn't that long ago... My 200 number happened just last month. My body has been through the ringer lately. Sometimes that means I have to know my stress limits, sometimes that means I have to care a little less, and sometimes that means I have to say no. My weight loss journey has been a roller coaster and I'm more than prepared for 2015 to be the year that I meet my goal!

Join me! I'm not perfect, I like chocolate, and I'm just like you. Let's make 2015 OUR YEAR!

What the heck is The Green Life?

Since getting married this past July, I've had to get used to a lot of things...

1. Living with a boy
2. Doing a boy's laundry
3. Cooking for a boy
4. Shopping for a boy

...and so much more that has nothing really to do with a boy, but rather how to compromise. That being said, I've also had to learn to go by Alyssa Green and Mrs. Green in school...or if I'm lucky and my students are practicing their Spanish like they should, I'll get called Senora Verde :)

Anyways, I get the usual jokes about my new last name. "Hey, your last name is a color." "Hey, Green is my favorite color." Or my personal favorite... "HEY MIZZ GAHREEN." Highschoolers think they are so funny.

At this point, your probably like.."Okay, Alyssa, get to the point..what is The Green Life actually about?!" Well let me tell you!

I've been thinking about the word "Green" alot, especially as I ventured through the terribly uncharted and dangerous name changing territory. Green is a rather positive color (and word!) Often things in green are good, positive, showing growth. I think of the green grass and green plants in spring showing life, I think of the green corn stalks in the summer - ripe for the picking!, I think of the green Christmas trees that decorate our homes. Green is just a life-giving color...

...and I've made it my new mission to apply this "life-giving" mentality to almost every aspect that my little mind can think up. And I'm going to blog about it!

I've coached people in a lot of things. Piano, Spanish, singing, guitar, how to paint a dresser, currently jr. high basketball....you name it. However, in all of these situations, I had the upper hand - I knew more about the subject than the person I was teaching, I was the expert. Since beginning my new fitness coaching journey I have often felt inferior. I don't know everything about fitness or healthy foods, sometimes I like greasy cheeseburgers, and more often than not (sadly) I'd rather sleep in than get a morning workout. This coaching was different because I wasn't just a leader or a teacher anymore, I was and am on the journey right beside my teammates and team members. I'm changed/altered/renewed just as much as the people I "coach". Sometimes, I think I get more from them than they do from me as their coach.

That all being said... Welcome to The Green Life! I'm going to attack this from all angles while rocking my new "Green" last name. We are going to explore how to make fitness, family, faith, makeup, hair, life, food, and anything else you can think of "green" - positive, growing, and in a healthy mentality.

Want to join my team and be a part of The Green Life?!

Find me on Instagram at... alyssagreen410
Email! alyssagreen410@gmail.com