Addicted to Sugar? How to Break the Cycle!

Addicted to Sugar? How to Break the Cycle!

This weekend, I was reading one of my favorite Clean Eating cookbooks while I prepared for the upcoming week and started thinking about how much sugar I had cut out of my diet over the past year. One of the things that people come to me so often is that they crave sugar!! In fact, just this week I spoke with THREE people who said they have a killer sweet tooth.  They can't give up their sweets or they can't resist the temptation when placed in front of them.  I know that I really enjoy sweets myself, but I have really worked hard to cut out certain foods that I know are not doing my body any good by eating them!  My mouth just waters thinking about chocolate chip cookies, ice cream cake and chocolate covered anything!  I can tell you that I have successfully transitioned over to clean eating and I have found replacements for those things I used to crave.  When I do go to eat sweets I usually end up with a bellyache and feeling really lethargic.  So, my body now knows what foods it needs vs. wants. 
I am human, though.  I do allow myself to enjoy life and I truly believe in the 80-20 rule.  80% of the time I am spot on but the 20% where I have a special event, get together I pick and choose what I want to have!  But, I can tell you at the beginning I had to go cold turkey until I could gain the control over my mind to make those kinds of decisions without binging!

  

Are you a dessert fanatic? A lover of all things frosted, a champion for cookies and a complete pie-a-holic? Do you dream in chocolate, dally in the candy aisle and feel that your day just isn’t complete without a taste of something sweet?  I know so many people like this, I could sit and rattle off the names of those that can't live without their something sweet after dinner.

If so, in the past you’ve probably blamed your sugar cravings on your sweet tooth, an imaginary body part like the funny bone. And while a sweet tooth doesn’t literally exist in your mouth, pulling your lips towards that ice cream sundae - your body is indeed craving sugar. Why? Because you are an addict, because you haven’t had enough protein, because you’ve used up your willpower and because you associate sugar with sweet feelings and fond memories.

Discover why you crave sugar to understand its hold on the human brain, so that you can combat your natural instincts, put the chocolate down and walk away from the candy dish.

You most likely crave sweets because of one of the following reasons:

1. Sugar is a drug, a fantastically effective dopamine enhancer that works along the same lines as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol – all substances that people love to indulge in, even though it is well known that they aren’t good for the body. A diet loaded with sugar generates excessive reward signals in the brain, and over time, these pleasurable brain chemicals can override your willpower to create an addiction. Just like cocaine – only to a lesser extent – this white powder feels so fantastic to your brain that it usurps your willpower in order to get its next fix. Your brain sends out powerful signals to obtain a sweet release, and your hand reaches for the cream cheese pastry. Like any addiction, it’s not easy to beat – take small steps in reducing your sugar intake, and reward yourself with something other than dessert for each little victory.

2. You aren’t getting enough protein in your diet. The body needs fuel to survive, and the best source for this energy is protein. If your body doesn’t get enough protein throughout the day, it starts to lose energy. Your brain sends out panic signals: I need energy now!!! Nothing gives your body a boost of quick energy like a mouthful of sugar – just ask any kindergarten teacher. You reach for a candy bar in the afternoon, because you didn’t eat enough protein in the morning. Make a point to eat a high protein diet – and watch as your sugar cravings virtually disappear.

3. You have used up your willpower for the day. You wake up early for a run, skipping the snooze button, order a healthy breakfast of oatmeal instead of a doughnut, and then decline the chocolate cake at the office birthday party. You walk right past the bowl of gummy bears on your co-workers desk, order a salad at lunch (dressing on the side) and drink water instead of juice during the afternoon. You’ve been “good” and practiced restraint all day – so when your husband brings home a package of gourmet cookies in the evening, you devour them. All of them. Willpower is a finite resource; it’s a bad idea to go on a diet, try to trim your household budget and stop shopping online all at the same time. You can’t follow the rules exactly every minute of your life, so at the end of the day when you are tired and your willpower is too – you reach for a cookie. And another. Learn to recognize what triggers your evening sugar cravings, and plan to reward yourself in a non-edible way when you feel the urge to eat sweets coming: buy a bouquet of flowers, go for a walk with your dog or watch a funny movie.

4. Sweets remind you of happy times. As children, we are given sugary treats when we behave well or when times are happy (like holidays). We learn to associate the taste of sugar with happy feelings, and as adults, we try to recreate those sweet childhood memories with a chocolate chip cookie, popsicle or ice cream cone. While everyone deserves to indulge now and then, emotional eating rarely brings the satisfaction you crave – and often it just makes you eat even more as you search for those happy feelings. Let yourself have one awesome treat each week, like a hot fudge sundae or scrumptious cupcake, eat it very slowly and enjoy every minute of it. This way you won’t feel like you are denying yourself – and you can sample the sweet treats that you truly want without giving in to cravings.

So if you struggle with sugar cravings and addictions you are not alone!  It's a normal phenomenon that attacks many of us!  But know that you can make a change.  It just takes a little will power to do so!

ASK ME HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN MY NEXT 30 DAY CLEAN EATING AND SHAKEOLOGY GROUP TO TEACH YOU HOW TO KICK THE CRAVINGS, EAT REAL FOOD, GAIN ENERGY, CONFIDENCE AND LOSE WEIGHT!!

Right now the markets are filled with fresh strawberries and raspberries and that made me think about one my favorite ways to enjoy them together, in this strawberry and avocado spinach salad with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. You might think that it is a bit odd combining strawberries in the salad and raspberries in the dressing but they work beautifully well together especially in a baby spinach salad with cool and creamy avocado, salty bacon and tangy blue cheese! Individually all of the ingredients in this salad are pretty amazing but combined they take things to a whole new level! This strawberry and avocado spinach salad in raspberry balsamic vinaigrette is so easy to throw together and it makes for a tasty treat of a light meal on hot summer days!

This salad has been a favorite of mine for years and I am still making it many times every summer!

Strawberry and Avocado Spinach Salad in Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

A fresh summer strawberry and baby spinach salad with avocado and bacon in a raspberry vinaigrette that just screams summer!

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach

2 cups strawberries, sliced

1 avocado, diced

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup raspberry white balsamic vinaigrette

Directions

Assemble salad, toss in dressing and enjoy!

Option: Goat cheese or feta also work well in place of the blue cheese.

Option: I like to throw in some fresh peas when available in spring.

Quinoa and Vegetable Stir Fry

Yields: 5 | Serving size: 1 cup | Calories: 250 | Total Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fats: 2 g | Trans Fats: 0 g | Points Plus: 7 | Previous Points: 5 | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 182 mg | Carbohydrates: 28 g| Dietary fiber:5 g | Sugars: 1 g | Protein: 9 g

Ingredients

1 cup pre-rinsed quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth, optional chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sesame seed oil

1 cup finely diced carrots

1/2 cup minced green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup frozen peas (thawed)

2 eggs, beaten (omit for vegetarian)

Kosher or sea salt to taste

2 tablespoons lite soy sauce, Optional Gluten-Free soy sauce, Tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos

Directions: In a medium saucepan, add quinoa and broth, turn to medium-high heat, cover, bring to

a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate quinoa until cold, approximately two hours. Save 

time by cooking ahead and make the stir-fry the next day.

In a large skillet, heat oils to medium-low heat, add carrots and green onions, cover and cook until 

tender, approximately 8 minutes. Add garlic, cook one additional minute. Add quinoa and peas, cook until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.

If using eggs, push quinoa to the sides of the skillet, add eggs and scramble. Stir to combine scrambled eggs with quinoa mixture. Add soy sauce and cook just until heated, about 1 minute.

NOTE Brown rice can be substituted for quinoa.

Travelin' Fit

Working full-time, training, and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life can be exhausting. Still, it's a path many of us choose to stay happy, healthy, and fit. We slave over the stove to make macro friendly meals and hit the gym most days of the week, all while holding down the fort at home. In short, we prep.

My regular schedule goes something like this: I pick two nights each week to prep my food for the next 3-4 days. I bulk-cook my chicken—either by baking it in the oven or tossing it on the George Forman grill—divide it into 4-5-ounce portions, steam my veggies, and put together my salads, each of which includes half an avocado and a side dressing. Sure, it's a lot of work, but this way, when I get up at 6 a.m. to hit the gym, I don't have to worry about what I'm going to eat throughout the day. It's packed and ready to go.

DON'T LET A FEW MILES TRAVELED STAND BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR FITNESS GOALS.

Add to all that the turmoil that comes with travel, and the three Ps—plan, prepare, and produce—become more essential than ever. No wonder so many fitness plans unravel on the road. You're tempted by fast food, lured by quick and easy pre-packaged meals, and you can practically hear the double chocolate chip frap at the airport Starbucks calling your name.

Sound familiar? Don't let a few miles traveled stand between you and your fitness goals. Follow my air travel routine to help bypass any nutritional away-from-home hurdles.

9 ROAD RULES

1

 PACK SMART

There are six little things I always bring with me just in case. Since none of these items need to be refrigerated, all can be easily stowed away in your checked luggage.

PRE-PORTIONED OATS

Keep some complex carbs on hand. It's better to bring along the right carbs than have to resort to scarfing down something unnecessarily unhealthy.

I typically pack enough for 3/4 cup every day as well as an emergency stash of a few additional cups just in case I need to use oats for my evening carb source.

ALMOND BUTTER

Heart-healthy unsaturated fats are essential to a well-rounded diet. Pack a source of healthy fats so you know exactly where yours come from.

QUEST BARS

Quest bars are all natural, low in carbs and sugar, and high in protein. Double-check the nutritional information on your go-to protein bar to make sure it's not just candy in disguise.

PROTEIN POWDER

This is a must. Scoop out enough for 1-2 servings per day, and store them in plastic baggies for easy access.

MEASURING CUPS

If you're anything like me, measuring cups will be handy for meting out your almond butterand morning berries.

BLENDER

Looking to take things even further? Pack an individual-sized blender to make super food smoothie.

2

 REQUEST KITCHEN STAPLES

Call the hotel and request a room with a microwave and refrigerator.

3

 PRIORITIZE PRODUCE

Stop by the local grocery store to get some go-to fruits and veggies. My personal favorites are snap peas, microwavable bags of broccoli, and apples.

4

 SEEK OUT A GYM

Find out if the hotel has a gym, or where to find the gym closest to where you are staying. If there is no gym, go for a morning run or do a bodyweight workout in your room.

This can include basics like squats, push-ups, chair dips, pistol squats, and burpees, as well as core exercises like planks, bicycle crunches, and V-ups.

5

 GO A LA CARTE

Customize the hotel menu to meet your macros. Most hotels have a restaurant, and you should be able to order a la carte items. My go-to breakfast at the hotel is a six-egg-whiteand veggie omelet with 3/4 cup oats and berries.

In the rare instance where this is impossible, I make a shake in my room with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a scoop of protein, spinach, and blueberries. I have that with a side of oatmeal.

If you find yourself even more limited, mix a scoop of protein into your oatmeal and add some berries for a delicious concoction. All of these options are high in protein and offer up the right amount of complex carbs and morning sugars.

6

 THINK PORTABLE

When ordering at restaurants, stick to lean fish, veggies, and complex carbs. Ask the chef to hold the butter and oils and get sauces on the side. Skip the wine and order an extra glass of water. If it's a special occasion, or you have a real hankering to indulge, stick to a glass of red wine or a vodka soda—just make sure it's not a regular occurrence.

WHEN ORDERING AT RESTAURANTS, STICK TO LEAN FISH, VEGGIES, AND COMPLEX CARBS.

7

 CUSTOMIZE THE MENU

When working long hours, I often have to cut my workouts short. Instead of being able to leisurely take my time, I'm often limited to one hour from start to finish. I make the most of my time by pushing hard, doing supersets, and sticking to a short 45-60 second rest period between sets.

8

 HAVE FORETHOUGHT

I can't stress this enough: Plan in advance. Think about your trip, anticipate your environment, and bring what you need so you're not stuck without any healthy options.

9

 DRINK UP

Stay hydrated, and make sure you take in enough fluids. The stale air circulating in airports makes me super dehydrated, so I always bring an empty shaker bottle with me through security to fill up at the drinking fountain before boarding my flight. I pack all my travel day meals in my carry-on so I'm set in case of any delays.

STAY HYDRATED, AND MAKE SURE YOU TAKE IN ENOUGH FLUIDS.

An extra scoop of protein or a Quest bar is also a great, easy grab-and-go option. Also, make sure to pack supplements ahead of time and store vitamins in baggies so you know what to take and when to take it.

CLEAN EATING ON CAR TRIPS

While the distance might be shorter, road trips come with their own set of nutritional hurdles. But prepping food in advance, having easily portable snacks on hand, and choosing healthy fast food alternatives when necessary can help you avoid gas-station temptation.

Hug the curves of the road without packing unnecessary weight onto your curves with these road trip tips.

1

 BRING A COOLER FULL OF GOODIES

Packing plenty of water and healthy snacks like your favorite sliced fruits and veggies, yogurt,almonds, Quest bars, and hummus is the best option. You'll be able to stick to your macros and have a strong line of defense against temptation when hunger strikes.

2

 CHOOSE SMART

If you're gassing up and can't resist grabbing a snack from the attached mini mart, shop smart. Gas stations usually have pre-made protein drinks in the cooler. Buy one of those and a protein bar, if needed.

Plain (not movie theater butter) popcorn is another option to help satisfy that need to munch.

3

 REDEFINE FAST FOOD

OK, so you're not going to make fast food healthy, but you can make healthier menu choices. Grilled chicken patties sans bun are a healthier option.

Also, salads with light dressing on the side—as opposed to salads doused in the creamy, full-fat alternative—are generally a safe option.

Lifting Weights to Lose Weight for Good

Lifting Weights to Lose Weight for Good!

 Losing fat should be simple— take in fewer calories in your diet than you use during metabolism or exercise and the pounds will melt away.  Unfortunately, your body tries to keep you at a constant weight; it’s called your weight set-point. If you go on a weight loss diet, your body’s weight control center makes you hungry and slows down your metabolism, which makes you gain back the weight you lost. Fortunately, you can change your weight set-point by increasing muscle mass. The best way to add muscle is to lift weights. 

Avoid the Trap
Muscles are incredibly active tissues. At rest, they burn calories continuously. When muscles contract, they really turn up the heat. During exercise, muscle metabolism can increase as much as 15-20 times above rest. Scientists, using a technique called direct calorimetry, found that the body’s heat-generating capacity is directly proportional to muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the greater your metabolic rate. The best way to stoke your metabolic fire is to add muscle and then keep your new tissue active.

There are right and wrong ways to lose weight. Think of what happened to your girlfriend after she lost 20 or 30 pounds. Did she look healthy and athletic, or did she appear gaunt and drawn with a lot of excess skin? Probably, she looked terrible. She looked more like a patient with anorexia than the picture of health. And to make matters worse, she probably gained all the weight back and then some within six to eight months.

Her problem: A good portion of her lost weight was muscle tissue. Losing muscle slows metabolism, which makes it difficult to maintain fat loss. She dug herself in an energy deficit hole that made weight gain inevitable. Don’t fall into the same trap that your girlfriend did. Build muscle through weight training, and you will find it much easier to lose weight and keep it off.

  

Yo-Yo Dieting: Uh Oh!
Many women spend their lives on yo-yo diets— endless cycles of losing weight and gaining it back again. These women are suckers for any crackpot diet that comes along. Sometimes they restrict calories, other times fat, and still other times carbohydrates. In the short run, these women usually lose some weight, but they usually gain back what they lost and more.

Americans are clearly losing the “battle of the bulge.” Recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that over 50 percent of Americans are obese or overweight. What is most alarming is that the population obesity rate has increased a whopping 50 percent since 1991. While we don’t totally understand the reasons for the obesity explosion, lack of exercise and excess calories in the diet are at the core of the problem.

PHAT (Pretty Hot and Tempting) Instead of Fat

When are the busiest times of the year in the gym? Right after the New Year and a month or two before summer. Why? Because people want to lose fat so they can look better. After the New Year, they have to make amends for a month of porking out. Just before summer, they realize that they will soon have to display their Moby whale bodies on the beaches of the world. Sure, they want to be healthier, but health takes a back seat to looks every time. If they can combine good health and looks— all the better.

Caloric restriction (usually without exercise) is by far the most popular weight loss strategy in America. Unfortunately, people lose muscle mass as well as fat. Most studies show that if you lose 20 pounds from a weight-loss diet without exercise, nearly 30 percent of the weight loss will be from muscle.

Sure, you will have lost weight. But, have you gotten closer to your goal of looking better in a swimsuit or sexier in your clothes? Not by a long shot. More typically, you look like you just completed extended chemotherapy treatments.

What if you could lose weight but look better? That’s what you want, right? Scientific studies have shown that this is not only possible, but also probably the key to permanent weight loss. With the right diet and exercise program, you can maintain almost all your muscle mass, even when you lose substantial amounts of weight.

Dr. William Kraemer and colleagues from Penn State and Ball State Universities found that people who combined caloric restriction with a weight training and aerobic exercise program maintained muscle mass while making sizable improvements in strength, body composition and aerobic capacity. The study included three groups: Subjects who dieted but didn’t exercise; those who dieted and did aerobic exercise; and those who dieted and did aerobics and weight training. In 12 weeks, each group lost the same amount of weight— about 20 pounds. The big difference between groups was the amount of muscle lost. People who dieted without exercising lost nearly seven pounds of muscle. Interestingly, those who dieted and did aerobics lost over four pounds of muscle. Only the group that dieted while also lifting weights and doing aerobics maintained muscle mass. They lost only about 1/2 pound of muscle, even though they lost a substantial amount of body weight. The bottom line from this study: When you add weight training and aerobics to your weight loss program, you lose more fat and less muscle.

Not all studies agree with Dr. Kraemer’s research. Other investigators have shown that adding weight training to a weight loss diet program makes no contribution to maintaining muscle mass or improving overall body composition. Why was Dr. Kraemer’s group successful while other researchers came up empty handed? Kraemer’s study carefully controlled the exercise intensity, using personal trainers to make sure that people actually did the work.Look around in any health club. Some people spend more time socializing than working hard. You can’t build muscle and lose fat by looking at yourself in the mirror or talking to your friend on the next machine. Push yourself when you do resistive or aerobic exercises. You don’t have to exercise for hours and hours, but you do need to be serious about your program.  Which is why I prefer to workout in the comfort of my own home. I go to the basement in my workout clothes, do my workout and I'm done!  No fuss, I don't have to think about what I'm doing it's already done for me!

The Joys of Muscle Mass

Until recently, health experts downplayed resistive exercise as an important component in a health promotion program. However, many recent studies have demonstrated that this type of exercise deserves a central place in your fitness and weight control program.

People with more muscle have a higher metabolic rate. While metabolic rate drops during rapid weight loss— regardless of whether you maintain muscle mass— over the long term, maintaining muscle mass seems to be the most important factor determining whether you can keep the weight off. As discussed, you are certainly going to look better if, after losing weight, you have maintained your muscle mass. People on “yo-yo” weight control programs tend to lose muscle during periods of weight loss and replace it with fat during periods of weight gain.

Muscle is critical for quality of life. People who lose a lot of muscle mass during their weight loss programs usually lose some fitness. They can’t do as much physically, so their performance declines when skiing, playing golf, hitting a tennis ball, or carrying groceries.

Muscle holds a lot of your body water and is essential for regulating body temperature. Losing muscle mass during a weight loss program robs your body of its precious water stores. Less body water means you will have more trouble regulating heat and body temperature. Muscle water loss also decreases your blood volume, which can impair endurance capacity.

Finally, muscle mass is critical to bone health. Many studies show that muscle and bone strength are highly related. Women lose bone mass with age. Maintaining muscle strength and mass helps prevent age-related bone mass loss and life-threatening fractures.

Final Frontier of Fat Management

Unfortunately, building muscle is not the magic bullet for weight management. It helps— a lot— but it’s not the total answer. Most studies, including Dr. Kraemer’s, show that you lower your metabolic rate whenever you lose weight; regardless of whether or not you maintain muscle mass. Maintaining muscle mass certainly prevents some, but not all, of the decrease. This has confused researchers and is the subject of intense study. If muscle mass is closely linked to metabolic rate, why is metabolism depressed even when you maintain muscle mass?

The answer lies in the complex genetic controls of body weight and fat stores. Your body maintains a balance in its tissues to survive. When you remove fat from fat cells, you disturb their balance. They initiate complex physiological control mechanisms to maintain the biological status quo. Over the short term, increased muscle mass cannot compensate fully for these natural controls. However, over the long term, the natural links between muscle mass and metabolic rate most likely reestablish themselves.

Certainly, from the standpoint of the primary directive of looking good in your clothes or swimsuit, losing fat while gaining muscle is the key. If you want to lose weight and improve your appearance, your direction is clear— eat less, but include weight training and aerobics in your program. If you don’t do resistive exercises while trying to lose weight, you are going to lose muscle mass and will not get the results you want.

So the moral of the story is do weight training!  If you have no clue where to even start then maybe it's time to get support in helping you chose a program and fitness routine to meet your needs and get you the body you want.  I encourage you to check out my site and the many fitness programs that beachbody has to offer!  http://www.beachbodycoach.com/beachbodyharris

I am getting ready to start Chalean Extreme on Monday!  Even though I have done weight lifting programs in the past Chalene does a program with lean phasing over a period of 90 days.  She teaches you how to lift heavy weights, eat healthy and get the results that you want!  So if you are interested in trying this program in the comfort of your own home please join me and I'd be glad to hook you up with everything you need to get started!  Just think in 90 days from now you could be healthier, happier and on your way to a total lifestyle change!  Not another fad diet!!!

What is a Challenge Group?

Are you aware that 80% of people FAIL at whatever weight loss program or lifestyle change they choose within just three weeks? Not because the “program” they chose wasn’t good enough, but because they lacked SUPPORT. Think about how much having accountability does for you at work, school and accomplishing general tasks and goals. Yet you do not have that it for one of the HARDEST tasks you face….weight loss.

If you join the gym, and you don’t show up on Monday, is the gym calling you asking where you were and did you do well over the weekend? No. Actually, in some cases they are banking that you DON’T return. When you are dealing with stress and wanting to eat, does lean cuisine have a forum to hear you out? No. My point is, having an advocate, or health coach that specifically has YOUR best interest in mind, provides you your BEST chance at success. Sure, at the end of the day, YOU are the one doing the work, regardless, but, I am there WITH you.

I am a product of the process. First, you must TRUST the process. It DOES work, if YOU do. I will teach you about food choices and help you learn what best fuels your body. I consider myself a “nutratarian”. I don’t believe in eliminating macronutrients (carbs, fats or proteins), but eating the right ones that contain the most volume of micronutients (vitamins). Calories are secondary to eating the right foods. If you fuel your body right, it WILL perform and feel better than you ever imagined. I will teach you.

I have different types of support, if you are willing to invest in the right tools. I can provide 1-1 coaching for my clients. I also provide a “general” private support group on Facebook. And lastly, I provide “Challenge Groups”.

Challenge groups are PRIVATE small groups that I run monthly on the Facebook “Group” platform. You get ME, as well as several other successful coaches on my team within a small group of people, very similar to you and your goals. I will help you choose a program BEST suited for you and your needs as well as discuss what meal plan is realistic. You will get exclusive motivation, recipes, small daily assignments and videos that range in topics from “Emotional Eating” to “How to Eat Right, while traveling” for a total of (at least twelve) lessons. The benefit to the group is that you get a TON of positive feedback, support while you LEARN. There is always someone “there” to answer or hear your questions. You will both teach and learn from others and will be empowered in the process. There are some accountability guidelines to remain in the group, but as long as you continue to try, commit to the program tools and SHOW UP, you will ALWAYS have unconditional support.

I start ONE new challenge group a month. If you are interested in learning more about this platform, how “online accountability” works, how I can personally empower you to succeed and what it takes to qualify you can email me at totallytonedwithlisa@gmail.com or go to my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.harris.1217

Isn’t it time for you to have someone cheering for and supporting YOU?!  

Where my journey began....

I am a 49 year old mother to 1 handsome boy and 1 beautiful girl. Brock is age 13 and Kaylee is age 8.  I began my fitness journey just a short time ago.  In February, 2014 I participated in the Commit to be Fit Challenge, which when my life began to change.  As you can see, I became a mother a little later than most, I never really lost all my weight after having the kids and then it seemed like, as soon as I hit forty every year after I would gain about 5 lbs.  Well that does not sound like a lot but by the time you are 49 years old it adds up! The past couple of years I have felt the worst I’ve ever felt.  I really thought something was wrong with me! All the while I am trying to keep up with my two active kids.

My family and I had relocated to Tennessee.  I had decided to stay home with the kids and get them acclimated to the area.  I stayed home for a little over a year and decided to go back to work.  That is when I met the person whom has changed my life.  She invited me into her challenge group and within a couple of weeks I purchased the 21 Day Fix. I figured, what the heck I'll give it a shot.  I signed up as a discount coach and took before pictures, my measurements and began the challenge.  The pictures alone made me sick, I just did not realize; so that was definitely my motivation to get in shape!  I started with the 21 Day Fix challenge pack and I will not lie!  I about fell over dead!  But I decided from that moment on that I was going to give it everything that I had and make a change.  I sat my husband down and explained to him how important this challenge was to me and that I needed to feel better about myself.  I was 142 lbs. and that was the heaviest I had ever been.  He agreed to support me! After about 2 weeks I was hooked.  I could see that my body was changing and I was able to do more push-ups and did not have to use the modifier near as much!

21 Day Fix

 After 21 days I couldn't believe how much better I felt.  I had lost 10 lbs.! The 21 Day Fix taught me portion control and clean eating.  I did an enormous over haul of my fridge and pantry and started cooking clean meals and planning out my weekly meals.  By the end of my second round of the 21 Day Fix I had lost 22 pounds.  I love eating clean and I am having amazing energy every day.  I am drinking Shakeology and don’t have that afternoon slump like I used too.  I used to take a nap every afternoon while my kids were in school.  Shakeology also helped me jump start my weight loss and shed the rest of the pounds.  I don't know what I would do without my shake for breakfast every morning!

Now, I get up at 5:00 am and when my husband is out of town, I do my ab fix.  After kids are in bed at night, I do my 30 minute workout for the day. and eat 6 small meals a day with Shakeology being one of them.  I feel the best that I have ever felt in my life.  I have finished the 21 Day Fix and I have actually surpassed my initial goal weight. I am down to 120 lbs and I fit into clothes that I wore before the kids were born!  It's an amazing feeling to look in the mirror and love the person that you are!  I also became a Beachbody coach because I love the products and I have had such amazing results that I wanted to share my successes with others and help them to achieve their health and fitness goals also.  I am able to help people change their lives and get healthy!  I have learned so much over the last 4 months and I want to share it with others!  I truly have found my passion!  I love exercising and eating clean.  My family eats clean and they feel great too. My husband has gone from 210 lbs. to 180 lbs.!  Both my husband and my son just started doing Combat!  Can you believe it???  I can actually do it also!  I can't wait to see where it takes them!  So I’m here to tell you it does not matter if you are 20 years old or 40+ years older, it can be done! You are never too old to be fit and healthy! Check back for updates on my fitness journey!