As you might notice from the dates of my blogs, I haven’t posted one in over a month!  Yes, I admit it…..I fell off the wagon for a short time.  It happens to the best of us and I thought it would be a great topic for my blog this week.  Doing the things necessary for a day or two isn’t hard. Where most people fall down is in stringing those days together and thereby creating the progress, the momentum, and ultimately, the successful accomplishment.   What follows are some suggestions I have read over time and try to employ in my own life:

Have Powerful Reasons for your goals. With a strong enough reason you can and will find the how and the wherewithal to achieve your goal. Reasons plus belief keep you motivated. When you’re excited about your goal, it doesn’t seem like work. If you’re not excited, your efforts will require more discipline and energy. Make sure it’s a goal you create – not someone elses goal.  Make sure it excites you. And then act enthusiastically.  Another important step:  Write Your Objectives Down. This is very important.  This is easy to do with Million Dollar Body just by logging in to WOWY!  Another way to help maintain focus is to visualize you goal!  Visualize what you will look like or a special outfit you might wear once you reach your goal!  Make positive statements to yourself about your progress – take before and after pictures!  Take measurements!  Weigh yourself once a week.  All of these will help affirm your progress.  Do something every day to help in achieving your goal.  Your ultimate goal, for example, losing 40 pounds, may seem overwhelming.  But all goals can be broken down into doable tasks done on a daily basis.  We can all eat healthy for a day – we can all commit to exercising for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week – sticking to small goals will help us to achieve the bigger goal at the end of the journey!

Thankfully, I am back ‘on the wagon’.  I have a clearer focus again and I’m enjoying achieving my daily goals.  Remember, sustaining the day to day effort is NOT EASY, but don’t punish yourself for an ‘off’ day or even an ‘off’ week.  We all have them and we just have to pick ourselves up and keep moving forward.

When I initially signed up as a coach for Million Dollar Body, I thought it would be a great way to make a little extra money, while doing something I am passionate about – health and fitness.  Well, I am making some extra money as a coach, but more importantly I am getting to know several members whose personal transformation stories are nothing short of inspirational.  Out of respect for my members privacy, I will not mention any names, but I would like to share some of their stories.  I am coaching a young lady who has battled rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 7.  She never complains and never gives up!  She has set her mind on the goal of getting fit and healthy for herself and her family, and she is doing it.  She has obstacles that some of us will never experience – daily meds with unpleasant side-effects, fatigue, etc. but she has set her sites on a goal and I am priveleged to help her reach that goal.  I have another member who is an ‘older’ gentleman – in his 60’s.  He let me know he had poor eating habits but wants to better himself as well.  He is currently doing the P90X series and is loving it.  He travels quite a bit and has difficulty sticking to a schedule but he is doing it!  I have several other ladies that need help with there diet and eating habits.  What stands out among all my members is the great attitude and incredible drive that each of them have to succeed!  They all have road blocks and habits that make these changes difficult for them but none of them are willing to give up their ultimate goal of fitness and good health.

We live in a society of instant gratification and the desire for immediate results.  And there is no shortage of promises for quick fixes – diet pills, cellulite reduction, the grapefruit diet – the list goes on and on.  Unfortunately, these approaches result in exactly what there name represents – quick fixes and short lived results.  Good health and fitness is based on a lifestyle change.  Whether you are 100 lbs overweight or 10 lbs overweight, the same principals apply.  Slowly change your diet to exclude sugars, white flour, hydrogenated oils and other ‘unhealthy’ foods, and introduce more heart healthy foods:  fresh fruit, vegetables, whole wheat flour, olive oil, fish, etc.  The same goes for exercise – someone who has led a sedentary life can’t expect to push play on the P90X DVD’s and have success.  There are many things you can do though – add a daily walk to your regimen.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away from the building you work in.  It doesn’t take much to start seeing a change and to begin to feel better!  My members are all succeeding – one day at a time, and you can too!  If you have any interest in learning more about the opportunities at Million Dollar Body, visit my website at www.milliondollarbody.com/love2run and click on ‘Join the Club’ or ‘Be a Coach’.  You too can be a positive role model in someone elses life.  It is a great way to join forces against a society full of quick fix approaches and a growing population of overweight people. 

Today was an incredible day.  I stood at the top of a 10,600 foot peak and watched as everyone from elite runners to everyday athletes crossed the finish line of the La Luz race – a grueling trail race held in the mountains in my home town.  I’ve completed the race 3 times but this year I wanted to be at the finish to see my husband finish, and to see all the other incredible finishers at the top.  It was very humid for the desert – 81% and sun at the finish.  Everyone that crossed that finish line had just completed a huge feat and, I hope, felt very accomplished.  I then came home from the race and saw that the 2006 Hawaii Ironman was being televised.  I was literally in tears by the end.  The broadcasters elaborate on the stories of some of the ‘unknown’ athletes.   Everyday people – a 76 year old nun doing her 20th Ironman, a man from Chicago running to help increase awareness of Lou Gherig’s disease, a 32 year old man that was paralyzed while training for an Ironman was competing in the wheel chair division – story after story about people going above and beyond what many of us think is even possible.  Of course, the finishers I witnessed today are a special breed – they are examples of people who are able to push themselves to the limit, and keep on going.  The Ironman has a cut-off time for each of the legs of the race, as well as for the finish.  The 76 year old nun finished with 1 minute to spare.  She then told the commentator that she wanted to be the inspiration to create an 80-84 year old age group – once she gets there!  What a great attitude!  She was one of many examples of everyday people achieving a goal they once thought was out of their reach.  But with hard work, over time they were each able to achieve something that was important to them!  These stories are inspirational and motivate me to do more.  They also make me realize how fortunate I am to have the physical ability to do whatever I put my mind to!  The feeling they have at the finish line is something we all can experience!  Everyone has their own personal race.  For me, it’s being a good mom and wife and, yes, improving my running and fitness for the rest of my life.  Most importantly, it is not losing sight of the fact that all of my blessings are gifts from God.  For you it might be crossing the finish line of a race or losing 10 pounds.  Whatever your ‘race’ is you must believe in yourself.  Find something to inspire you – look for something in yourself that no one else has and allow that to be your spark. 

Million Dollar Body is helping me in so many ways.  As a coach, I am inspired every day by members that write to me about their journey’s.  I feel honored to be a part of their ‘race’ and I get extreme satisfaction out of helping people to achieve their goals and getting to whatever their finish line may be.   If you are reading this and would like to join me as a coach, or, if I can help to keep you inspired – please visit my website at www.milliondollarbody.com/love2run.  If it sounds like something you would like to do, click on ‘Be a Coach’ and join my awesome team of coaches!  If you have questions about becoming a coach or anything else feel free to e-mail me at jlkkmc@aol.com.

God Bless and never stop reaching for the sky!!

Finding a balance in life is rarely easy.  For me, I have struggled to find a healthy balance between exercise, family time, work and everything in between!  I, like many Moms out there, am kept busy with the schedules of two children (5 and 7), a husband, a full-time job, and the desire to stay fit and healthy along the way.   I have the added pressure of being married to a man with a brain injury.  Jerry has come a long way, but most of the daily decision making and planning is left up to me.  Up until now, my ‘balance’ has not been healthy.  I had a running schedule that I followed religously that didn’t allow for more than one day of rest a week (if that).  I always work out early in the morning so that it doesn’t take time away from my family but I found that the daily grind of forcing myself to get up early to run only drained me in the long term.  I was fitting it all in but not feeling good!  Discovering Million Dollar Body has provided me with just what I was looking for and more!  I now have balance with my workout schedule and the added bonus of having access to incredible meal plans that go along with all of their programs.  I feel a renewed energy in my life.  I’m still running 5 days a week but I now have the added benefits of a great strength training routine (P90X) to supplement my running, and increased energy from my better diet!  I feel better, less stressed and yes, more balanced!

If you are reading my blog, I hope my words have helped you think of ways to find balance in your own life. Having balance, I think, is the key to sticking with any diet and fitness plan.  Without balance, the changes you make along the way may be difficult to adhere to.  Joining Million Dollar Body and working with an awesome coach has helped me develop a lifestyle that is so rewarding that it is easy to stick to it.  If you think I might be able to help you find balance, or you would like to do the same for others, check out Million Dollar body:  Just go to www.milliondollarbody.com/love2run to find out more about my transformation story and sign up!  From that site you can sign up as a Free Player by clicking on ‘Play the Game’, or you can join as a member or a coach!  Feel free to e-mail me at jlkkmc@aol.com with any questions.

Another week of P90X under my belt and I’m feeling great!  I have the added luxury of having friends (and coaches) who both live within 1 mile of me and we are on this journey together!  It’s wonderful to have others to work out with either in person, or via ‘WOWY’.  I log in to WOWY for all of my workouts and look forward to seeing who else is up at the ‘crack of dawn’ to sweat along with me.  I find this part of Million Dollar Body to be an instrumental tool in motivating me to be on time for a workout I’ve scheduled.  All the workouts in this program are fairly challenging but, by the same token, consistently keep me striving for more!  I haven’t reached all the reps yet on many of the DVD’s, but I’m getting closer.  My diet this week has been on track!  I’ve been very focused on ‘cleaning’ out my pantry and introducing a more heart healthy selection – no hydrogenated oils, healthier snacks and better meal planning.  I know that not only will I benefit from ‘cleaner’ eating, but my family will as well.  I ordered ‘Tony and the Kids’ and can’t wait to try that out with my two children – now they can join in the fun!  I also got my husband on board and he is following the Slim in Six program!  Well, that’s all for this week – only good news!  I hope anyone reading this might be inspired to join me – as a coach, or as a member.  I’d love to help others reach their fitness and nutritional goals as well.  Again, feel free to contact me at jlkkmc@aol.com or go to www.milliondollarbody.com/love2run to read more about me!

I just returned from the Grand Canyon and it was a wonderful trip.  No P90X DVD’s, but managed to do some 7-minute abs and plenty of running.  It was a challenge to stick to the diet but I managed for the most part.  I miss my P90X routine though and I’m looking forward to having my ’schedule’ back.  One important thing I realized is that ‘life happens.’  We can’t always be on a schedule and sometimes you have to stray from your eating routine as well.  And, THATS OK!  Being fit and eating healthy are life-long habits.  They aren’t just something you do to lose weight or fit into that special outfit for your reunion

It’s important to keep in mind that there will always be times in our lives when our ‘routines’ are interrupted.  Instead of punishing yourself for going off the wagon or straying from your routine, just get back on track as soon as you can.  Once exercise and healthy eating become a way of life for you, the occasional deterrent won’t throw you off track.  For me, exercise has been a part of my life for awhile now, but the healthy eating aspect has been a challenge.  Fortunately, the P90X program comes with an awesome nutritional guide that helps keep you on track with healthy eating while you are doing the program.  I believe that good nutritional balance is the key to success for any exercise program.

The big news for me today is that I ran my first race since January and I ran a PR – only 1 second faster than the same race last year but I haven’t been running as much as I was last year either.  I truly believe that this success is due to the fact that my nutrition has been through a complete overhaul and the P90X DVD’s are already adding strength that I need to improve at running.  I eat to feed my exercise habits – and I look forward to the P90X workouts as much as I look forward to my next run!

Well, that’s all for this week!  Remember – BRING IT!

My family is heading out tomorrow for a week on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to do some camping.  I’m a little nervous since I just completed my first week of P90X and stuck to the Nutrition plan as well.  I’m going to bring some dumb bells and I’ll be able to maintain my fitness by doing some of the exercises from the videos (abs and arms).  I’ll maintain my cardio by running – luckily I’ll be in beautiful surroundings for that!  I know it will be a little more difficult for me to stick to my eating plan – no electricity, therefore, no blender for my morning smoothe.  But, I just got back from the store and stocked up on lots of fruits and nuts, soy burgers and healthy snacks.  I know it will still be a good week for me – just less structured.  Every once in awhile that is actually a good thing.   “Life” sometimes gets in the way of our plans but, no matter where you are, you can always fit in some sort of fitness.  Vacation is a time for family fun and relaxation!  I’m looking forward to hiking with my husband and the kids and exploring the Canyon – I know we will all have a wonderful time.  I’ll check in again next week and let you know how I did! 

I am like many of you out there  – trying to balance a busy life of being mom and wife, working full-time, and striving to stay fit along the way.  At 44, I’m actually in better shape then I was in my 20’s!  I didn’t start exercising until my 30’s and I didn’t start running until about 6 1/2 years ago – right after my 1st child was born.  I became passionate about running quickly and over the last 5 years I’ve run in 8 marathons.  My last marathon was January of 2007 and, unfortunately, I suffered from a knee injury after that.  Over the last 4 months I’ve been searching for a new workout balance since running all the time was something my body was not going to allow anymore.  I tried cross-training and even hired a personal trainer at the gym to get some new weight workouts but my heart wasn’t in it and I put on 5 lbs along the way!  Then I met an MDB coach who started telling me about this program.  She is also a runner and she told me how it was strengthening her whole body and making her an even better runner!  Running is a great cardio workout but it doesn’t do much for core strength and that is what we all need to do better in whatever sport we do!  I’m so excited as I begin to transform my body with this awesome program!  And the best part is that I have friends along for the ride – by my side as well as the awesome support system that MDB offers on-line!

I’d love to help you realize your fitness dreams, whatever they may be.  I can help you with any of the MDB programs and I’d love to be your coach!  If you’d like to contact me directly my e-mail is jlkkmc@aol.com.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

What a week!  After receiving the P90X DVD set, I took some time to sit down and read the Nutrition plan that came along with it and the awesome fitness guide!  One of the many things about MDB that impresses me is the time and effort they put into making sure you succeed – whether you are a member or a coach.  In this set of DVD’s, Tony Horton leads the user through a balanced and safe workout everytime.  He always includes a warm-up and cool-down and plenty of water breaks.  I’ll talk more about the workouts in a later post but today I really wanted to address the nutrition plan that needs to go along with any exercise program.  The fitness guide included with this set not only has a formula for determining what your caloric intake should be but it provides various menus along with shopping lists and recipes!  With so many tools at your hands it’s hard to fail.  I will admit that one of my weaknesses is carb overload in the evening.  I tend to not always eat balanced all day and then when I’m cooking dinner I grab a bag of pretzels or crackers and cheese and munch away while cooking!  I knew if I changed this one habit then I would be on the road to losing the extra weight I have.  This tip might help you!  Simply think of ‘one’ food item (or drink) currently in your daily diet that you could easily replace with something healthy!  I started freezing grapes and slicing peppers and cucumbers to have on hand while cooking dinner.  These are both healthier choices and are good for my body!  I’m finding that being part of the MDB team is motivating me not only to change my exercise routine, but to eat healthier so I will have the energy for it all!  It’s never easy giving up something you enjoy, whether it’s a Coke once a day or some crackers and cheese.  I don’t plan on giving up anything.  Moderation is the key, but the most important thing I’ve learned over time – especially as a long-distance runner, is that you must feed your body the right things for it to perform well over time. 

So, my tip for today – try giving up one bad food habit – give up that soda or bag of chips.  Just one small change can translate to significant weight loss and improved body performance over time!  And don’t forget to drink up (water, that is!). 

Good morning and Happy Friday to all! I received my P90X DVD set yesterday and did my first ‘official’ workout today! I chose the Yoga DVD and it was wonderful – a great way to start my weekend. I also spent some time this morning (before the kids got up) to create a shopping list for the menu plan that goes along with the P90X program. I’m looking forward to trying out some of the great recipes included and can’t wait to start seeing the results! Yesterday was a track day for me and, fortunately, I have a wonderful friend (and MDB coach) that is by my side for many of my runs now. Having a partner makes such a difference, whether it is on the track, in the gym, in your living room with the Million Dollar Body DVD’s. Together we can help each other stick to our goals and continue to get stronger and fitter!