’21 DayFix’ or the ’24 Day Challenge’?…..which program will help you to lose weight?

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Team Beachbody’s 21Day Fix or Advocare’s 24 Day Challenge?  Hmmm…..

I’ve had personal experience with both of these programs and I must say that BOTH of them will change your body and eating habits.  By now, we all know that food is the major culprit of the growing waistlines in this country.  Over the years, our food has gotten sweeter, manufacturers know this and cater to that by sweetening most every processed food out there (yes, even milk) and if they don’t do this, typically people will not purchase their products!  As the foods get sweeter, we develop habits of eating the wrong foods.  I blame manufactures on this too because their advertising and labels can be VERY misleading and trick people into eating foods that really aren’t as healthy as they seem!  Regardless, all this is leading to wrong food choices and higher numbers on the scales.  It’s disheartening because it’s not only adults being affected, it’s children too.
Therefore, both of these food challenges change the way you view food.  And, that’s ALWAYS a good thing!  Both products promote healthy habits, water intake, and clean eating.  However, there are some very different aspects to each program too.

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21 Day Fix:

  • Includes 7 30 minute workouts.  Exercise is an important aspect to body health.  Exercise boosts brain power, memory, moods and decreases stress levels along with making the body look great!
  • No weighing food, No calorie counting, No Weight Watcher points…. It’s a basic container system.  You figure out which caloric range you are in, and then the instructions tell you how many containers of each food category you get per day.  (Protein, veggies, fruit, complex carbs, healthy fats, seeds, oils and sweet snacks).  You simply eat those foods each day.  You decide which foods you want to eat each day.  Love cottage cheese?  That’s a red container.  Want a whole grain waffle?  That’s a yellow container.  How about a glass of wine?  Better save your yellow containers and exchange them for wine.  J
  • The program is 21 days in length.
  • The focus is on food (portion control and making better food choices, however allows for sweet snacks and wine occasionally) and exercise.
  • No pills and not a consumable product other than if you choose to use the nutrient dense meal replacement Shakeology, with it.  Recommended but not necessary to achieve results.
  • Program can be repeated as often as you wish, however you will learn what to eat and portion control and incorporate that into daily life.
  • Program is $60 and if you order it with Shakeology, (meal replacement) the total is $160.00

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24 Day Challenge:

  • This program does NOT come with an exercise program.
  • The food program is based around the 3 food categories:  Protein, Carbohydrates, and Healthy fats.  The program clearly lays out when you should eat from each category.
  • There are foods listed that you are to avoid.  And alcohol should be avoided also.
  • 2 parts to this program.  The first part is a 10 day ‘cleanse’ but it’s not intended to give you diarrhea or make you ill.  It’s a high fiber cleanse.  Not all bodies respond well to the fiber drink.  The focus of the first 10 days is to rid your body of toxins.
    The second phase of this program is 14 days long and referred to as the Max Phase. It involves fueling your body in order to achieve maximum results.
  • Timing of food intake is crucial to this program.
  • This program involves supplements and many pills.  It’s a consumable program meaning you take the product and then need to order more.  It comes with clear instructions on when to take the pills and when to eat food.  The pills and food work together to help your body lose weight.
  • This challenge is 24 days in length and may only be done 1x every 90 days.
  • Post challenge, you have options of continuing without supplements and with the knowledge of food and timing of eating the food (proteins, carbs, fats)….or you can continue with a variety of supplements to assist the body with weight loss.
  • Spark is the energy drink that is recommended to use with the program since you are encouraged to not drink coffee.  Spark has the artificial sweetener, Sucralose in it as well as some of the other products.
  • Roughly $200 for all the products in this program, however it can be personalized so that you only use the basic necessities, which varies pending your needs and lifestyle.

Both programs have helped people to lose hundreds of pounds!  Both companies offer large support systems for their customers and you have ‘coaches’ or ‘reps’ to help answer any of your questions.

There are positive and negative aspects to both programs.  Personally, I favor the 21 Day Fix because I found it to be easier and more ‘natural.’  I have memorized the portions of each container and it’s easy to do!!  I am a runner and in order to run long distance, I need to add an extra container of carbs though to power me through the miles.  Once again, it’s all about paying attention to your body!!

I have family members who have found a lot of success with Advocare’s 24 Day challenge too!!  They feel healthy and empowered taking herbal supplements.  I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis 11 years ago and I became very malnourished and ill (fiber drink wreaked havoc on my intestines) while doing the 24 day challenge.  I was put on steroids and it took about a month before my system calmed down.  However, my husband and in-laws loved the challenge and it worked well for him!  I have many friends who use the program and LOVE it!!

You need to decide which program fits your lifestyle the best and which one you will stick with.  BOTH programs encourage food changes and food education, and that’s why they both are popular programs.
If you need assistance determining which program is best for you…. Contact me!  I have experience with both and have seen success with both…. Therefore, I will help you decipher which one you would be most successful using.  Losing weight is the ultimate goal and both programs teach you food lessons, which I find valuable!!  If it doesn’t ‘teach’ you anything about something you make decisions with all day long (food)…… then it’s not a program you should be using.

Feel free to contact me at any time.  Bashford.Lisa@yahoo.com.
Are you on social media??  Say “HELLO” and follow me for recipes, motivation, home exercise ideas/programs, and body health information!!  My passion is teaching you about YOUR FITNESS!

Have a great day & remember…. You are what you eat!  Don’t be cheap or fake!!

XOXO – Lisa Bashford

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Need a way to track your food and fitness?  Contact me! I have a beautiful 30+ page Health & Fitness planner to help you stay on track!  Simply download it! Use the address above to email me for more information!

Are you saying ‘fat is beautiful’ because you can’t find the key to losing it?

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I’ve been seeing a LOT of social media posts on how we should ‘accept our bodies’ and not worry about wrinkles, losing weight, sagging skin, etc.  I’m calling it BS.  Yep, I said it…… BS.  It’s the excuses people are saying to themselves to help themselves deal with the fact that fighting for their own health is sometimes difficult, frustrating, exhausting, and not everyone can do it.  “I’ve tried to lose weight, but I can’t …. so I’ll just love my body and say ‘fat is beautiful!”

Let me clarify — I believe in aging gracefully.  Yet, I still color my hair, put makeup on, use wrinkle cream at night, stay up with trends, and wear supportive bras. I will age.  We all will and we are!  Whether you want to or not…. it’s going to happen. Honestly, many people grow more attractive as they age!  Accepting that your skin will lose elasticity, gravity will take over, and a few pounds will creep on is fantastic and I applaud people who accept it!!  (Smile lines and crows feet show a happy life, right?)  So, if that’s what all those social media rants are in referring too…. I agree!  If it’s referring to people who have suffered the pain of losing a limb, burned skin, scars from trauma, scars from removal of cancer….. I applaud those people too and those are battle wounds that you have earned!!
But, they aren’t.

Many of them are referring to weight.  Saying that you accept being 50+ lbs over weight (And mind you, some of these are people that are morbidly obese)….. is NOT OK.  We ALL struggle with our bodies – it could be extra skin around our belly buttons, the stretch marks from pregnancies, a flat butt, saggy arms, bird legs, or big belly.  But, sagging skin, stretch marks, wrinkles…. they aren’t going to effect our life expectancy.  Weight problems WILL!!
Would you click the ‘like’ button if someone posted “My extra fat is causing me to have diabetes and I’m getting my foot amputated next week!  Yeah Me!”  Would you think “good for them!  It’s great that they accepted their extra pounds!”  ?????
That’s kinda what’s happening.
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People are ranting in these posts that today’s world is consumed with being ‘fit’ and losing weight.  That there are people all over social media and infomercials ‘fat shaming’ others or constantly promoting weight loss programs.  Well, maybe if 1 out of every 3 people weren’t overweight, then you wouldn’t see all that!  It wouldn’t be in our faces all the time!  Maybe if childhood obesity wasn’t at an all time high and people didn’t care… you wouldn’t see it all the time.  Children are getting illnesses and disease that they should NOT be getting because of weight issues!  Can you imagine a world where most people were a healthy ‘average’ weight and actually took care of their hearts vs. enable others and accept an early death?

Breast cancer awareness is everywhere too – clothing, tv, social media, etc.  WHY?  Because it’s killing us and being proactive saves lives!  Do you hear people complaining about that??  (Shaking your head no?)  Yet, there are complaints when the disease is in another form such as ‘fat.’   I just don’t understand.

I am NOT saying people need to have hard bodies and be a size 2.  I am NOT saying that everyone needs to eat clean 100% and fit into skinny jeans.  I am NOT saying that magazines need to have thin models and 6-pack abs on their pages.  A few pounds overweight is one thing and it’s natural because our weight fluctuates, and I find no problems with that.  I find NO PROBLEM with people who are overweight and trying to live healthier lifestyle!  Many of my friends fit into that category and I myself should lose 8-10 more pounds!  I’ve been on prednisone many times and gained the weight… but I’ve NEVER accepted it.  I’ve worked very hard to take it off each time I’ve finished that round of treatment.

A friend recently told me “It’s okay to love yourself even though you may not be happy with your body” and I 100% agree because I am one of those people.  Loving yourself and loving your body are not synonymous.  She also said, “You don’t have to hate yourself as a person to admit that you dislike your body (or parts of it) and want to change it.”    Once again… I agree.  I’m thankful to have amazing friends and that we can have discussions like this without losing a friendship.

I am growing fatigued with the notion of folks who say, “I can’t lose weight, I’ve tried everything, so I’ve just learned to accept it.” That’s not learning to accept it because I guarantee you don’t think it’s beautiful when your doctor tells you he won’t replace your knee until you lose weight.  Or, when the nurse is helping you roll side to side in a hospital bed to clean between the skin folds to prevent skin breakdown and infection.  What you are ‘accepting’ is that you haven’t figured out what will unlock your body and create weight loss.  There is a key for each of us!  It may take many times of turning the lock to see which key fits, but there is one out there!  I know it gets depressing, frustrating, annoying,& maddening.  I myself have experienced it and have been on the journey with my clients.  I’m FULLY aware of that side of weight loss.  But, when it happens and you find even a little success…. it’s joyful.  Pure joy to calculate the inches that have been lost and to see your ‘before’ picture compared to the current one!!  And that joy makes it worthwhile.

 Accept things that you cannot change….. find the courage to change the things you can…… and the wisdom to know the difference.

That Serenity prayer holds true for all things in life.  The problem is…. many people can’t find the wisdom to know when to accept a healthy weight and when to fight for better.   You do NOT need to fight the battle alone.  As you know.. there are plenty of us on social media that will help you fight that battle.  Be Better.  Do Good.  Pay it forward.  Lead by example.

YOU are in control of Your Fitness!  Let’s do something about it.
Be true to who you are – but ‘fat’ isn’t who someone ‘is.’  It’s tissue inside a body which comes and goes. Let it Go! (Did you really not expect a FROZEN reference in this blog?)  🙂

www.YourFitness-411.com

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100% honesty about being a Team Beachbody coach on my team. 411 exposed.

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When I believe in something…. I throw 100% of myself into it.  Whether it’s a child’s birthday party, the perfect Christmas gift, preparing for a race, running a fitness booth at an event, cyber coaching an accountability weight-loss group, or mentoring a group of people who have trusted me to teach them how to make an extra income by becoming a Team Beachbody coach on my team.  

Sometimes, my 100% intimidates people.  They feel that’s what they have to do also, and although I greatly appreciate that thought and the effort…it’s simply not true.  My passion for helping others to learn more about health through proper food choices and exercise seeps out my pores.  Is it a great thing or a fault?  Probably a little of both.  Don’t allow my passion to stop you from taking a leap of faith!

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I want everyone to enjoy the perks of being a Team Beachbody coach on my team and helping others to get healthy!  The more people I talk to, the more I hear people say “I don’t have time for it.”  So, I feel it’s time to be 100% truthful and speak clearly about this gig that makes me an extra $1000+ a month which will continue to grow.
Here are some things you do NOT need in order to be a successful coach on TeamBelieve (my team’s name).

  • Age doesn’t matter unless you are younger than 18 years old. 
  • It doesn’t matter what physical shape you are currently in.  Waiting until you are ‘the right weight’ is a complete mistake.  You may not get there anytime soon and others NEED to see your journey!  Your journey is what helps others.  You respect someone when you’ve seen the dedication, discipline, and struggles they are practicing in order to achieve those goals.  Don’t use that excuse anymore.
  • More than 15 minutes a day. 
  • Educated on food/fitness.
  • A lot of money.
  • Place to store products because you don’t store any!  People place orders and the company does the rest for you!
  • A monthly order.  To be a baseline coach, you do NOT need a monthly product order! 
  • A lot of fitness loving friends (although it helps).
  • No evening ‘parties’ to host.

Let me explain.  If you have social media – you have the ability to grow an amazing business and make extra money right at your fingertips.  Thanks to social media, small businesses continue to grow and are very successful.  All you need is 15 minutes a day thanks to social media.  I will send you a checklist that I have created to help you if you only have 15 minutes a day.  A quick email, a post on social media, answering a client’s questions (which there aren’t many) only takes a few minutes.  You don’t need time, you need consistency.  You don’t need to have an educational foundation in nutrition or fitness to do well at this business.  Did you know that Tony Horton (Creator of the P90X workout line) never graduated from college?  He went to college and did normal college things like drink beer and chase girls, but he never actually graduated.  Thankfully, I have a nutrition background (which I acquired in 2013 specifically so I can help my team better) and have been a Physical Therapist Assist. For 17 years so I know quite a bit about weight-loss, muscle building, injury prevention, and rehabilitation of injury/surgery/disease.  I’m also a runner, athlete, and have my own weight loss story >>> experience is the best teacher.  As your upline sponsor, I will help you with your client’s questions, your questions, and educate you at the same time!  Win/Win/Win! I’ve also purchased social media courses which have taught me quite a lot about social media/small businesses.  Trial and error has taught me a lot too!! I’ll teach you everything I know! 

Unlike other home businesses, you do NOT NEED a monthly order placed or a set amount of money made per month.  All you need is $15.95.  Let me repeat that in case you missed it…… All you need is $15.95.  That is the price for owning your own business each month!  You get 3 beautifully designed websites for only $15.95/month!  If you have a friend that purchases the new 21DayFix challenge pack from your site, you earn $40. That means 2 months of your monthly fee is taken care of! 

A basic coach gets the 25% discount and 25% commission just like the rest of us.  Many people like to be a basic coach for the discount and option to make money if they choose to.  Other coaches want to expand and see what income they can generate.  I like either kind of coach on my team!
If you want to grow to the next status which is called an Emerald coach….all you need to do is sign up 2 coaches onto YOUR team!  Once all 3 of you are ‘active’ (meaning you have accumulated 50 volume points either through your orders or a client’s orders), then you are an Emerald Coach!  Emerald coaches get some amazing perks from Team Beachbody! You get a FREE client assigned to you almost weekly from the infomercial orders, you earn free prizes when you make success club, and you get to earn money with cycle bonuses ($14.00 per cycle).  I’ll explain that when you get to that status!  Just know that you can cycle numerous times in one day (I’m talking around 90x!)
I always send a little ‘Congratulations’ give to my coaches when they advance ranks too!  You may be thinking…. “Yes, Lisa, but how hard is it to get 50 volume points?”  One order of Shakeology is 90 points, so it’s pretty simple.  All supplements and programs have volume points and it’s roughly $1.00/point as a coach.  Coaches would get Shakeology for $97.50 whereas a non-coach has to pay $130 for 30 meals.  There is a HUGE variety of energy drinks, recovery drinks, protein drinks, meal replacements, workout programs, workout equipment, vitamins, and much more to choose from!! And, did you realize I said that those volume points can come from a client too?  So, if you have a client who purchased Shakeology, then you are qualified as an ‘active’ status and don’t need to worry about it!  It’s great having a few reliable clients!

The various ranks of Team Beachbody coaches are:

  1.  Basic
  2. Emerald
  3. Ruby
  4. Diamond
  5. Star Diamond (I am currently a 1-Star Diamond coach)

Each rank has various perks and income opportunities.  Many Emerald coaches are making more than Diamond coaches!!  In my opinion, rank doesn’t matter as much as your income.  You’d rather have a fat check than a lot of people clapping for you because you advanced in rank, right? 

“But Lisa, I don’t want to be responsible for my customer’s or have the time to ‘coach’ people.”  Do you know what I say to that??  “Awesome, because you can add your customer’s to one of my many facebook groups and I will coach them!!”   The same goes for your new coaches too!  Add them to my facebook group called ‘Team Believe’ and I will coach them for you!! 
Seriously….. how could I make it more simple for you?? 

 Being a Team Beachbody coach holds you responsible for your own weight-loss/fitness goals and allows you the opportunity to get a discount on quality products along with providing you the chance to make some extra spending cash!  Best part is that there is no termination fee!  I only ask that you give it at least 6 months so that you can let everyone know you are a coach and they can order from you!  Plant the seed and wait for it to grow!  If it’s not for you, simply quit.  I won’t hold a grudge or take it personally.  Even if it’s not for you….. ya know what?  You still tried it and added a new chapter to your life of things you have tried!  It’s a Win/Win!!  I have a coach that stopped coaching & then came back to my team 1-2 years later and now she’s very successful!  She just earned a FREE ticket to next year’s Team Beachbody convention in Vegas next year that’s worth $295!!! 

I could go on and on about some of the Superstars on my personal team (not to mention Shinedown’s drummer, Barry Kerch).  I have some coaches making more in 1 week than they make in 2 weeks at their normal 40 hour/week job!  I have other coaches who simply want the discount and no interest in making money.  Regardless, they are a part of a huge supportive fitness family that has a HEALTHY addiction!  Amazing people from all over the country are bonding because of Team Beachbody.  My team is growing….now is the time to join! 

I’d love to hear your fears now that I’ve killed some of them for you.  I love to put excuses out of their misery!! Join my team! Now is the time to hold yourself accountable, lose the weight, have a strong fitness family behind you, and make money for that summer vacation.  Why are you hesitating?? 

Surprise me by going to www.beachbodycoach.com/LisaBashford and clicking the COACH button.  I can’t wait to welcome you to Team Believe and get you started!!!  That $32.50 savings on your monthly Shakeology is waiting for you!!!!  
ImageYou can always contact me at:  Bashford.Lisa@yahoo.com if you have more questions/concerns.  

Calories are the sneaky creatures that cause our clothes to fit tighter….. why count them? Outsmart them!

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Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Calories. Image Yes, your caloric intake is important….. but it’s not the ‘end all be all’ of weightloss, and it’s DEFINITELY not the answer for a healthy body!!! Listen…. If you calculated your caloric range to be 1300-1500 and adhere to that…. Good for You!  Are you entering every food item into your smartphone & unable to eat dinner because you ate a big lunch?  Maybe your body NEEDED that big lunch, hence why you were so hungry!! I could stick to that caloric range and eat cereal all day too!  Have you ever thought about that?  Just because you stay within a caloric range does NOT mean you are doing justice for your body.  I pity your heart muscle…and well, all your muscles to be honest. It is true – there should be a deficit in the number of calories to create weight loss.  But, strictly counting your calories isn’t the answer.  There are MANY methods to eating that create weight loss.  Have you heard of the ‘Zig Zag Method?’  I’ve taught it in a few of my challenge/accountability groups on facebook.   Point being……. The same caloric intake every day is NOT good…… especially when you shoving your face with junk and don’t even know it!! Instead of ‘calories’ let’s focus on your NUTRITION and CHOICES!  Have you eaten ANY fruit today???  How about a vegetable??  Did you include protein in that last snack/meal? Before I took nutrition courses, I would go the entire day and think….. “What vegetable did I eat today?”  (And, no…..the tomato & wilted lettuce on your fast food burger doesn’t count).  We go through our entire day eating and yet make TONS of food mistakes!! People don’t know how to feed their bodies!!  Does any of the below points sound familiar?

  •  We are addicted to ‘sweet’ foods (thank you, Mr. Food Companies)!
  •  We think ‘low fat/low sugar’ is healthy.
  • We fear carbohydrates (South Beach Diet ruined us) because we don’t know the difference between a simple carb (bad) or a complex carb (good).
  • People don’t believe in ‘healthy fats’.
  • Our taste buds are too picky.  (Teach them differently)
  • We eat too large of portion sizes (Would you like to supersize that for $1.00 extra?)
  • We eat too much at one sitting (‘I feel stuffed!’)
  • We grew up being told to ‘clean your plate.’
  • Soda (no need to say anything more)
  • We are told to watch caloric intake vs. food choices.
  • We have NO IDEA how to prepare fresh fruit/veggies.
  • We seem to think our plates must be FULL of 4+ different food items at each meal.
  • ‘Gluten Free’ has taken on a life of its own.  (Hellooo carbs and sodium: processed foods).
  • Pretty packaging at the store tricks you into thinking it’s healthy.
  • Laws are getting stricter, but food marketers can make dog feces seem healthy if they word it right (tricky bastards).

Here are some very basic rules to think about when preparing meals or eating. 

-Would my Great Great Grandmother recognize the food item on my plate?

-The closer to nature, the better.

-Have a plate of fresh cut veggies at each meal.

-“Low Sugar/Low Fat” = Chemical Shit Storm

-Review your daily food intake…. Are you missing something?  If Yes, eat it at dinner!

-Drink Water.  It’s cheap & it’s good for you.  End of story.

-Plan ahead.  Meal prep is key.  Even if it’s just thinking about what you are going to make for dinner.

-Make SURE there is a protein source at each meal/snack.

-Make sure your family meal has a protein and veggie/fruit at mealtime.  Green Bean Casserole doesn’t count…. I’m talking steamed, roasted, raw, boiled.

-Your kids will live just fine if they don’t eat pasta & cereal 3+x/week.

-Just because YOU ate it as a kid & turned out just fine doesn’t mean they will!  Today’s world and ingredients are far different than when we grew up!  And….. who’s to say you turned out ‘just fine?’  You never know when diabetes, a colon disease, or worse is waiting around the corner.   If you still have trouble eating well……. For goodness sake, try a healthy meal replacement.  (Nope….slim fast is not one of them).  I highly recommend Shakeology because it has super foods and is nutrient dense.  Do you know what that means?  It means, even if you screw up and don’t get all your vitamins/nutrients in for the day, it’s got you covered. You’ve seen me preaching about the new food/fitness program called the ’21 Day Fix.’  It will help you with ALL the problems above….. in as little as 3 weeks.  Think you will starve?  THINK AGAIN!  It clearly lays out how many containers of which food group you should be eating each day.  The book helps you figure out how many of each containers and that’s ALL you worry about.  You won’t miss a single food group during the day, and you will learn portion control!  You can still have chocolate too…… because I think it’s more of a habit than craving to say “I need something sweet’ after a meal. No Calorie Counting!! No Weight Watcher Points!! No weighing food! No strict food plans!! You can still eat at restaurants!! >>>>>>>Baseline price is $60 for the program!!! <<<<<< So…. To paraphrase = stop ‘thinking’ you are eating well and feeding your family well and simply learn the real truth!  Stop obsessing about those pesky little calories!!  If you eat ‘clean’ – you don’t need to worry about those numbers! Find me on social media and Say “HELLO!”  (Click on the below words to find me!)

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Half Marathon…Piece of Cake! (More like stale bread – HARD)

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This weekend I ran my very first SPRING half marathon! I’ve never ran a ‘spring’ half marathon because I’ve always been cautious of the weather and having to train long distance in the snow and ice is just not worth it to me. Of course I sign up for a spring half marathon this year and it was one of the worst winters in Indiana!!
Go figure!  Therefore, all of my training was done on the treadmill.  Awesome!!  Kidding….it took a lot of mental strength!

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This is my fourth overall half marathon. I was very concerned with how my race was going to turn out because of the treadmill training, weather, and constant rolling hills in Carmel, Indiana. I had no intentions of going for a great time until I was standing in the corrals listening to the National Anthem.  (My pre-workout drink must have kicked in at that moment!)  My first half (6.55 miles) of the marathon went exceptionally well!!! I was approximately three minutes ahead of schedule and super excited!!! Then…. all good things must come to an end, and I had some issues.
1.My skin started to chaff in different spots than normal (ouch).
2. My music player started playing Christmas songs (worst music ever to run to).
3. My energy drained.
4. My brain got bored.
After about 1-1/2 miles of this, my carb chews kicked in and I perked up.
However, damage had been done and I had lost those three minutes. I did not go into this race expecting to have a PR (Personal Record). However after the first 6 miles I knew it was an option, and I got really excited.  The next 7 miles were filled with thoughts of ‘go, go, go’ and I felt like I was late for my own funeral!!

It’s a mental game one must play while running long distance.  Just ask any runner….. we all have different strategies to get us through!  Well, I ended the race 14 seconds shy of a new personal record. I was disappointed at first, however I now realize that I am proud of my time due to the time of year, treadmill training, the hills and my asthma. My lungs do NOT enjoy working harder to power up a hill!!
As fitness freaks, we abuse our bodies.  We put it through some serious training and are hard-core during the race event.  The race may have ended on Saturday,  but my recovery continues well through Sunday. My lungs are tired, I’m coughing up junk, my skin is sore, and my feet/toes are blistered and bruised. My energy level is low, and I’m mentally worn out. What’s your point, Lisa??   >>> Just because you’ve accomplished a goal or your race or sporting event is over >>>>  does NOT mean you stop taking care of your body!!!!  I still went to church, attended my nephew’s birthday party,  and I’m continuing to make sure I eat enough protein, complex carbohydrates, and fluids today so that I can heal and get back to my normal strength training workouts this week. I do not want to spend the next two days sore, tired, and grumpy because I cannot work out. Many of us like to work out hard but that also means we have to remember our bodies need to be taken care of especially as we age.
Lesson: Take care of your body, be proactive, and help it heal so that you can continue to stay active!!  It’s worth it!!

What I do for recover: I make sure to take an ActiVit multivitamin, I drink ‘Rest & Recovery’ formula as a recovery drink (very important), 1 Shakeology meal today to ensure my body has enough nutrients to heal itself, lots of water, BioFreeze on the sore muscles, ice bath as needed, and sleep.  I was able to take a 90 minute nap late this afternoon… just what the therapist (me) ordered!!  🙂

I really want to become a ‘Half Fanatic!’  That means running 2 half marathons within 2 weeks or 3 within 3 months.  Unfortunately, my schedule isn’t going to allow me to get another one completed in the next 2 weeks.  If I had unlimited travel funds, I could do it….. but that isn’t happening.  So…. looks like the 3 month plan may be an option.  🙂
Be Active.  Dream Big,  Lead By Example.
Wishing you all the best for your fitness goals and treat the body well during recovery and always! — Lisa

If you are looking to lose weight >>>  May I recommend the 21 Day Fix through Team Beachbody?  It will TEACH you food portion sizes, clean eating, and some basic workouts for all levels!!  No weighing your food.  No counting calories.  No strict diet plans.  No magic pills.  You will learn to feed your body and your family in a healthy manner!!  And… as parents, it’s our job to teach our children proper nutrition!!!  Contact me for more info.  My ’21 DayFix’ challenge group starts April 24!  HURRY!   Bashford.Lisa@yahoo.com
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I waited 6 months before I told anyone of my symptoms thanks to Fear.

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Intermittent lower abdominal cramping, diarrhea, blood in stool, frequent trips to the bathroom……. I didn’t know what was causing this for almost 6 months and I was fearful of telling someone and finding out the truth.  The symptoms were embarrassing and I didn’t want anyone to know.  Thankfully, I wasn’t suffering from weight loss, so it wasn’t too obvious and I became real good at controlling ‘diarrhea’ – sounds crazy, but true!
Finally I blurted it out to a co-worker while we were working on our daily patient progress notes, “Do you ever have blood in your BM?”  He looked at me and slowly said, “NO….. Do you?”   Once I told him my symptoms had been occurring for 6 months, he strongly urged me to see a doctor.  That was in 2003 and I made an appointment with my family physician that week.  That appointment was awful.  I was embarrassed and he wanted to do a rectal exam looking for a fissure.  I refused and agreed to try more fiber in my diet. A week later when I was getting worse and fatigued, I called again and reluctantly allowed the exam.  NO FISSURE.  He then referred me to a GI doctor and I quickly had my first colonoscopy.
The colonoscopy revealed a disease called ‘Ulcerative Colitis.’  This was one of those days that my life forever changed.  I was informed that I had a disease that would never truly go away.  I would take meds the rest of my life and the goal was to remain in ‘remission’ or ‘symptom free.’  I also experienced my first introduction to prednisone, a drug that I quickly learned to love and hate.  Love how it calms down the flare quickly; hate all the symptoms & how slow the weaning can be from the drug.  I was young at that time (28 years old) and did some research, thought I had it all figured out and followed the Dr’s orders.
Then I had another flare-up the next year which meant more prednisone.  Within 2 years, I had another colonoscopy and was on more prednisone.  My bouts with Prednisone were 4-12 weeks in length and I cried every time I was told I’d have to take it.
Prednisone is a steroid.  My symptoms are horrible on this drug:
achy joints
little sleep
jittery/wired
hungry/thirsty
water retention (especially in belly and face)
hot flashes
nightmares.  My nightmares are always the same.  I’m at a random person’s funeral and the cadaver sits up and stares at me.  It’s horrible.  I can’t sleep and when I do…. That is where my brain goes!

I had an argument with my first GI doctor after the second colonoscopy and more prednisone.  He told me there were no other options for treatment.  I actually woke up while they were taking a biopsy during a colonoscopy!  OUCH!  I didn’t know much about nutrition at that point, but was able to control the disease with meds and lower stress levels. (I’m a Type A personality….. decreased stress levels rarely occur!)
I switched doctors and am pleased with my current GI doctor.  His goal is to keep me off prednisone and gives me a lot of freedom when it comes to my prednisone dosage and weaning.  As a means of learning more about my body/disease,  I received a certification through the ISSA as a ‘specialist in sports nutrition’ and that education greatly helps me with my disease, family nutrition, and assisting clients towards weight loss/muscle building.  I have also spoken many times to a friend of mine who is a doctor and he helps me determine my next step.  I have considered becoming part of a university study to find more treatment options.

Lisa's phone early May2014 371

Now-a-days, I control my colitis by limiting my gluten intake, exercising, proper fluids, meds, vitamins, and making sure to eat plenty of fruits/veggies.  Many folks with GI disorders are malnourished, so it’s important to eat well.  Also, green leafy veggies act as little scrubbers in the intestines.  Great for most people, bad for those of us with ulcers in the intestines!!  I have found that too much fiber makes my GI tract VERY angry VERY quickly!  I’ve also found that artificial sweeteners make me bloat and look 5 months pregnant. Ain’t nobody got time for that!  

Fast forward to the past few months —-> I had probably my worst flare up this past November while on vacation in Alabama.  I struggled to walk along the beach, go on adventures with the kids, and eat.  I was trying a new drug that was not working and my energy level was the lowest it had ever been.  I had more energy after running marathons than I did in November!   (Marathons aren’t great for colitis either…. But I’m NOT going to allow this disease to boss me around!) Needless to say, I went back on prednisone.  I was told to start a more intense level of drugs, which I refused based on research and probability of skin cancer.  I tightened the diet, focused on de-stressing, focused on my running/fitness, and was diligent about my daily meds.  I had my 4th colonoscopy in late February 2014.  This week was the post-exam appointment.  What would they tell me?  Did the disease progress?  Were the polyps cancerous?  Do I need the more intense meds?

“Your colonoscopy revealed that the polyps were not harmful and your test results looked BETTER than they did in 2009!  That’s not common, so whatever you are doing is working!”

Whoo-hoo!!!  I was certain that last flare-up had ruined me!!  Once again, my life proves that a healthy lifestyle involving better food choices (not perfect because I LOVE my PB M& M’s and tortilla chips) and exercise = a healthier mind, body, and soul.  I’m embracing my body the older I get and I am fully aware that with age comes more health issues.  I feel as though I am fighting hard against that though!  My fitness level is better now than it was as an athlete in high school.  I am educated on food and how it affects the body.  I live with asthma and ulcerative colitis, yet I have accomplished marathons and running events that only a few people EVER attempt in their lifetimes.  I continue to build muscle in my body.  I don’t have the typical joint aches that many my age have after playing recreational sports or doing new activities.
The moral of my story?
Listen to your body and treat it well.  Don’t be shy about your symptoms!  Go to the doctor and get educated about your body and diagnosis!  Just because you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (or anything else) does not mean that your active life has come to an end.! Learn how to stay active with the disease and when a doctor tells you that you should decrease your exercise without solid reasons….. tell him “Hell NO!”  My asthma and GI doctor both understand that they are going to have to work with me vs. tell me what to do, because I am NOT slowing down.  They and I work together to find solutions that I can live with and that benefit my body. That’s why I love them so!  I have goals and children that need an active Mom & I love setting an example for others.  I realize that my chance of Colon Cancer is higher than the average person and that I’m going to have more flare-ups in my lifetime.  I’ll probably once again be on prednisone at some point and get frustrated with my swollen face.  But for right now…. My colon looks better than in 2009!  I couldn’t be more pleased!
Each person’s body responds to treatment differently and I am NOT a GI doctor.  But, I listen to my body, read the research, experiment with food, pray for health, and stay active.  If there is any way I can help you along the journey of Ulcerative Colitis, please contact me.  I mentor many weight loss accountability/support groups via social media and have many clients who have found success.  I’d be honored to help you too.
Find me on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/YourFitnessInfo
Find me on Instagram at:  www.Instagram.com/YourFitness411

#21DayFix is the newest program from Team Beachbody.  It teaches the person food portion control & proper eating habits along with 6 workouts that are 30 minutes in length!!  Most people struggle with proper food intake….but this program is the first of it’s kind to help you with your food!  No calorie counting, no weighing your food.  If it fits in the containers, you eat it!  Great results! Contact me if you want to try this program!  It’s only $60!  Bashford.Lisa@yahoo.com

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2 things I’ve realized while on a liquid diet…

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I’ve been on a clear liquid diet for over 24 hours now.  It’s been rough & I’ve wanted to cry at times….especially when I see the Peanut Butter jar.  No Joke.  Sigh……….

I’m having a medical test this morning called a colonoscopy.  I have Ulcerative Colitis and therefore have this test every 3-5 years.  It’s really not a tough procedure, although it sounds awful.  The drugs they use to make you ‘silly’ make it much better.  I’m very thankful for those drugs!!! 

 2 things I’ve realized during this journey:

1. Our society has a FOOD-FRENZY!!!  We are ALL ABOUT FOOD!!   I’m really hungry right now and almost every 2/3 social media posts are food related in some way. Commercials on TV, radio shows, facebook, Instagram, twitter, junk emails, and other people.  The thought of ‘food’ surrounds us 24/7.  And….it explains why many people have eating issues.  When the thought of food is coming at you from every angle, it’s easy to succumb and start to believe that you are hungry or craving a certain food item.  It’s not going to change…so I urge you to stay strong and listen to your BODY, not society. 

 

 2. I’m conscience of what I eat…. or at least I thought I was.  I’ve caught myself resisting the urge to put food in my mouth all morning! Example: making the kids lunch. I almost ate a raspberry, piece of turkey that I cut up for my daughter, piece of tortilla, and apple slices. Apparently, I eat unconsciously nibble too!  I wonder how many extra calories I eat in a day without realizing it.  Hmmm…..
If I’m doing it, chances are -> you are doing it too!!   I got a handle on eating the scraps from my children’s plates a couple years ago.  Sounds nasty?  I bet EVERY parent has done it at some time!!  Eaten those last bites of mac & cheese, the crust from the sandwich, the left overs that the kids don’t want.  Let me tell you something….. it’s OK to throw that food away.  Take a lesson from Nike and “just do it.”  The money value of that wasted food is not worth the destruction it causes mentally and physically to your body. 

Isn’t this ironic?  I choose to blog about a ‘food’ related topic when I am not allowed to eat!  I urge you to simply be aware, folks!! Keep your EYES WIDE OPEN & eyes on the prize!!! That prize is a more fitness-focused YOU!!!  Don’t succumb to society’s pressure to try that new bacon, cheese, onion ring, triple burger on a pretzel bun or to eat that entire bag of Peanut butter M& M’s because you aren’t paying attention and watching television.  (Yes, I know that last one from experience.  Oops).

Words to help you cross your finish line!! 
* Focus
* Discipline
* Determined
* Body Awareness
* Resist

I believe in you!!! 
Want to learn more about me and what I stand for/how I help people?  My website will show you!  www.YourFitness-411.com
Contact me & allow me to help you too!

If only he could sit by me now….. when my heart is in pain

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You never truly appreciate something until it’s gone.

  • The BEST running partner.
  • Amazing secret keeper
  • Handsome & strong
  • Protector of his family
  • Gentle Comforter
  • Best Friend

A running partner that follows your lead, doesn’t interfere with your thoughts/music, and is a silent protector against anyone that could be harmful is my dream partner.  Reuben was that running partner.
He’s sleek, handsome, and muscular.  Very well toned and athletic.  Not many people would mess with me while he’s by my side.
He protected my children with fierceness.  From the minute he laid eyes on them as new born babes…he knew that he was to protect those children.  He had his eyes on anyone that held them, and often sat right next to those folks.  Reuben went everywhere the kids went, and they grew accustomed to his presence being with them at all times.  They knew he was their protector.  He was the same with me and I was comforted knowing he would die before he allowed someone to hurt us.
In times of sadness, Reuben sat quietly near.  Often times leaning into me, encouraging me to lean on him for his gentle support.  He knew when our hearts needed love, when our spirits were broken, and when we just needed a soul close to us.  He was the ears that would listen to all my pain and he never judged.  He continued to love me regardless of the mistakes I made and he never told another soul my thoughts/emotions or how I do the ‘happy dance’ when the kids got on the bus.  It was our secret.  I trusted him completely.
He was my best friend.  He was my 11.5 year old Weimeraner (dog), Reuben.

I had to say ‘good-bye’ to my best friend this weekend.  I knew he was in pain & I saw the deterioration taking place in his brain.  I tried everything within our means to heal him and take his discomfort away.  He was a very confused old dog… with significant back pain and could not lay down and often was found gazing into space.  When muscle relaxers, pain meds, and steroids weren’t helping him in the least, and he looked at me with very sad eyes and ears tucked tightly to his head….. I knew it was time to release him from his pain.  I always thought it was cruel to euthanize a pet.  I never fully understood and I felt it was selfish.  Now, I see that it would have been selfish to continue making him live with incredible back pain and brain confusion.  His heart was strong….but his brain and back were failing him.  I held my best friend’s face in my hands and kissed him as he drifted off to sleep.  His body was finally calm, pain removed, and yet I was in immense pain. It was as if his back pain moved right inside my heart.
It’s been 3 days now and I cont. to miss him dearly.  I feel like a child as much as I’ve cried over my dog, and I wish the tears would cease.  I had gotten into a pattern of feeding him each day, letting him out the back door, giving him ice cubes when I got my water, spending quiet evenings after everyone else went to sleep watching our favorite TV shows, and checking on him before I went to bed after I checked on the kids.  All that is gone.  Just gone.  No more loud nails on the tile, no more slurping of water from the utility room, and no more loud sighs while he laid in the chair.  It’s too quiet.  It’s a constant reminder of my ole’ friend.
His paw prints are still in the snow at the back door.  I look at them often during the day….. and I know that once they are gone, I will have nothing left but memories.  Memories are good…. and they are many.  He lived an amazing life with us and we spoiled him rotten.  He was one of the few Weimeraners that was very well trained & calm.  I was very proud of him.

I never realized I would miss his constant noises until now….. when they are gone.  I never realized an adult could miss her 4-legged companion as much as I do.  I loved my dog, but not sure I TRULY appreciated even his annoying habits until now…. when he’s gone.  I’d love for him to nudge my hand (often times, he’d nudge my chest too….he was a ‘male’ after all) in an effort to make me pet his head just one more time.  But then again, would that ‘one more time’ be enough?  No.
Isn’t it amazing how animals can teach us so many lessons?  Isn’t is amazing how the human and animal world can unite and form such strong bonds??
If only he could sit by me now….. when my heart is in pain…..and provide me with that quiet strength that he possessed. It brings me comfort to believe he’s playing with my children in heaven.  He’s their dog now……and one day we will all be reunited.

Lydia's phone 1-26-14 022

Late night workout done. ROLL TIDE.

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It has been a LONG day with the kids on Winter Break. Today was full of errands with the kids on very snowy roads and a trip to the theater to watch the movie ‘FROZEN.’  I highly recommend this movie! 
(It’s more about sibling love vs. prince/princess romance.  Make sure to chat about that aspect with your kiddos post movie! Good lesson!) 

Tonight was dinner and baths before getting them to sleep so I could watch someof the Oklahoma/Alabama game.  I had yet
to do a workout, so decided to use part of the third quarter for a 30 minute workout.  I drank my beverage to get the body ready and opened up my BRAND SPANKING NEW workout program that arrived today. 

—-> P90X3  <—-

It’s NOT necessary to do P90X & P90X2 prior to doing P90X3.  Which is good…. Because even though I
completed P90X, I didn’t make it through P90X2. Honestly, I didn’t like it. Enough said. 

Yep, it’s 11:30pm and I just completed the first workout called ‘Core Synergetics’ and I have a nice little muscle quiver happening in my arms/legs.  Know what I love MOST about the P90X workout programs?  The fact that the exercises use MANY muscle groups at ONE TIME to get the most out of limited time (vs. the machines at the gym that typically work one major muscle group at a time). 

  More bang for your buck. 

Example:  standing on one leg (balance) while doing hammer curls with 10lbs. dumbbells. 
Another Example:  planks which progress to a side plank and oblique crunch. 
**BOOM**

Overall body exercise, baby.  Another thing I like about these workouts is that you go at YOUR pace and there’s plenty of
time between exercises to write your stats & get new weights/water.  It’s NOT like the Insanity program where it’s
fast, fast, fast…… go, go, go.  P90X3 is more about the quality of exercise and….. we all know the slower you do a
weighted exercise, the more the muscle burns. 

If you are one of the people who don’t like to listen to Tony talk or tell jokes, then simply mute it after you learn the moves.  Yes, I was a bit clumsy since this was my first time doing the workout.  But, if it were easy, I’d be disappointed in the program because it wasn’t challenging me.  Challenge = body changing.

Contact me if you are using P90X3 to change your body too!  I’d love to swap notes and push one another!!  I will need to deviate from
the program somewhat since I am continuing to increase my running mileage in prep for the Florida Ragnar Race next month, but I’m hoping to stay as close to the schedule as I can. 

Hey…. And check that out —- the football game is in the 4thquarter.  Sweet Nectar!! I like shorty
workouts that still create muscle burn!  I didn’t miss much of the game and still can watch the end.  ROLL TIDE! 

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