Full Body Bosu Ball Workout

I love changing up my workouts, trying new equipment, a new class, a new program...I just love fitness and I don't get set in the same routine.  I know that changing things up challenges my body and helps me to continue to see results.  So I was hearing a lot about the Bosu Ball and had to try it out to see what I thought.  I loved the fact that you're still getting the same benefit from moves that you normally do on the ground...squats, push-ups, etc. but my adding the balancing of the ball you get an entire core workout as well and it adds a whole other level of complexity.  I LOVED IT!  It also makes the workout way more fun!  The fact that it was pink helped a lot too, I'm not going to lie!  =)  

Here are my favorite moves so you can get a full body workout with this fun semi circle too!  

Let me know what you think and if you'd like to see more!  

                       

CIZE PREVIEW

So throughout the month of June I had access to the new workout program by Shaun T that is coming out on July 20th.  It has been SO MUCH fun to learn choreography and dance again and you have so much fun doing it you totally forget you're working out until the end when you're covered in sweat!  =)

So what happens when you know all the dances?  Is it boring?  Is it still a workout?

NO it's not boring and YES it is a workout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After I had done that workout tons of times I decided to start putting it to different songs and it was a blast!  I would literally do about 5-10 different songs back to back and be drenched in sweat afterwards!  Such a fun workout!  Take a look below and let me know if you're interested in joining me!  I'm looking for 20 women to join one of my Fitness Accountability groups so we can dance the pounds away together, share recipes, have a meal plan and reach our goals!  Join by leaving your email in the comments or emailing me at kristinkfitness@gmail.com  I would LOVE to help you reach your goals!!

    

Food Is Not Your God

About a year ago I remember reading an article called "Food Is Not Your God" and I loved it!  Nobody wants to be obsessed with food, it's there to fuel us, to feed us when we're hungry, and give us energy.   Yes, it is also a way for friends and family to get together and make memories by going out to eat or having a party with delicious dishes over a football game or around the table at Thanksgiving.  Those times of making memories should be enjoyable...it's not to obsess over every bite, stress us out or make you so disappointed with yourself if you eat the "wrong" thing!  STOP!!  

In one of my fitness accountability groups a lot of people were doing great with the workouts but it's the food that was a problem for most.  Why?  I think it's because we've been told that in order to lose weight or be healthy you have to completely cut out all food considered unhealthy.  As a coach I've been struggling with where I stand on this because most coaches host "Clean Eating" groups and "Eating all Organic" groups so I did too and although they've been successful and given everyone (myself included) healthier options and recipes, I don't want to come off as a 100% clean eater myself.  I'm not.  I never want people to think I am a 100% healthy eater ALL. THE. TIME or that I always eat organic and would NEVER drink a coke or eat a piece of cake.  That actually makes me laugh out loud because that's not me at all, nor do I want it to be me!  Would I rather feed my family something homemade than from a box...ABSOLUTELY!  But I'm not trying to pretend that it doesn't ever happen!  So I've been trying to figure out how I feel about the issue and here's what I've come up with so far and there are links at the bottom to help me out in what I'm trying to say =) ...

I think food is great! I don't think you should 100% deprive yourself of any of your favorite things whether it's coke, chips, or cookies.  SAY WHAT??  Yup that's what I said but keep listening and don't get it twisted...What I do think is more important is to limit your quantities and not over eat or stuff yourself.  Eat the things you like but maybe cut your portions in half, drink a coke once a week or month as a treat instead of daily, etc.  Don't obsess over every bite and beat yourself up when you didn't stick to your plan.  One unhealthy meal wont make you gain weight, just like one healthy meal wont make you lose weight!  Let's let that sink in for a minute...

Food is fuel and I feel like if we start using it as such instead of completely cutting things out and then over eating after week 2, we'd have a better relationship with food!  I am not saying go to McDonalds everyday and cut your food in half and you'll be good to go.  What I AM saying is stop beating yourself up over every unhealthy/non organic thing you eat!  We all feel better when our body is being fed right with a variety of fresh foods (Thank you Shakeology for your help!!).  We know this!  But things in moderation are OK.  We can't be on 100% of the time but we can do it 80% of the time and that's why I love the 80/20 Rule!  You eat well 80% of your week, indulge 20% of the week and WORK OUT!!  Working out not only improves your mood but it gives you so much more energy that then overflows and motivates you in every other aspect of your life too.  

 

So how do I feel about the 21 Day Fix or Cleanses?  I think they're amazing!  Anything you do for your body to make you happy and healthy is a GREAT thing...eating healthy, doing a cleanse, portion control, working out...they are all good!  What's not good is when you start obsessing, talking negatively to yourself, and become consumed by it. 

When any aspect of my life starts to feel stressful, whether it's finances, a decision I have to make, or a relationship, and I find myself getting worked up or thinking about it all the time, I just stop and refocus on Jesus instead of focusing on the thing I'm stressing about. Then, because our God is SO BIG, it makes my problem seem SO SMALL and so much more manageable.  God is the only influence that should rule your life; food, your appetite, and your weight should not be in control or be the root of any worrying!  

Galatians 5:16 - So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  

More on the 80/20 rule soon but in the mean time you can get introduced to it HERE.   

I couldn't find the exact article I read years ago but here are 2 others I found that I really enjoyed and would love for you to read too!  

http://www.stacymakescents.com/food-is-not-your-god

http://www.charismamag.com/life/health/19682-is-food-your-god 

So here is a summary of what I'm trying to say:
Don't worry and think about food so much.  Food is NOT your God and should not consume so much of your thoughts.  Eat healthy meals because that is when we feel our best but indulge some of the time and don't feel guilty about it!  Food is enjoyable and the Lord wants us to feast and thank him for our blessings but he does not want us to be gluttons.  Things in our life seem like such big issues and can overtake our thoughts until we remember to give it to God and know that if he can heal the blind and raise the dead, he can surely help us in our relationships (with people or food), in our finances, decisions and every other aspect of our life!  =)

Well, HEL-LOOOO Turbofire!

Hi, I'm Kristin and I like to JAM OUT!!  Put some good music on and I will dance like nobody's business!  (I don't really understand that expression but I think that's how it goes!).

In order to workout consistently you have to actually ENJOY your workouts, right!?  I've done Bodypump, T25, 21 Day Fix, and PiYo schedules and I always enjoy them and I do seriously love each one I've done.  But a dance party workout?!  I seriously don't think it could get any better!  Although there is Hip Hop Abs and I'm trying that next so maybe it can get better?  We'll see!  ;)  

Because of the new Beachbody On Demand I've been able to try other programs that I don't own.  Recently I've been doing some of the Turbofire workouts and let me just say...well, wait...let me just show you...

Do you see what I'm talking about??  THIS is fun!  THIS is a workout!  THIS is something I can do everyday and look forward to!  I can't wait to do this entire program and see what results I get out of it!  Cardio is always the biggest mind game for me and is the hardest part of my workouts but cardio like this...I CAN DO THIS!!  =)  

The End of my 21 Day Fix and WHY I Cheated!

Do you see that?!?  That means that I'M FINISHED!!!!  Yay!!! I made it through my 21 days and I couldn't be more proud of myself!  I feel amazing and can't wait to post my full review but here is how my last 2 days went...

On Saturday, what I used to call my rest day, and I got up at 5:30 and pushed play on Dirty Thirty and Pilates.  I was almost done with my workouts when the rest of the house started waking up...what a great start to my day!!!

We got dressed and headed to my sons basketball game where he played the best game he has EVER played (granted this is his 3rd basketball game of his life...but it was the best, hands down!)  =)  He was on fire and made 4 baskets, stole the ball multiple times, and had some great rebounds!  I'm a proud momma!

Lunch was on track and then came a big crossroads in my journey.  We made plans to go with family to dinner...Mexican food (my favorite) so I had to decide what I was going to order!

I did my double workout today, I drank my Shakeology, I had a healthy lunch with plenty of leftover containers and I only had 1 MORE DAY left of my 21 Days...to cheat, or not to cheat?!?!

Well, I've been good for 20 days so far, would I really want to blow it the night of the 20th day, the EVE of my last day?!  That would be crazy right!?  There are plenty of things I could do to stick to it...10 chips with salsa (yellow), corn tortillas with chicken and veggies (yellow, red, green)  I could stick to the plan.  If it was earlier in my journey I wouldn't have even questioned sticking to it or not.  But,here's why I decided to CHEAT when I was almost done with my full 21 Day Fix!

This 21 Day Fix wasn't just a phase for me!  I didn't go into it with the attitude that I would do these 21 days and then go back to eating junk and large amounts of anything and everything I wanted.  No, I went into these 21 days looking to make healthier habits, wanting to learn how to eat the right portions, make healthier snack choices, and be on a consistent workout schedule!  I DID that and now that I'm finishing up, it's time for me to continue doing the healthy habits I've learned while also indulging a little now and then!  Shaun T calls it the 80/20 rule.  80% healthy, 20% indulgence and that's how I want to live!  Life is too short to count EVERY single calorie or to just never let loose with family and friends!  So I went out and had 2 skinny margaritas and shared a fajita plate with my husband.  It was delicious and we had a wonderful time with family!

I don't regret cheating and guess what?  I got up on Sunday and did my Yoga workout before church, had my Shakeology and continued on a healthy day.  I weighed myself (at a family members house because I don't own a scale!) to see the results of my 21 days and I lost 6 POUNDS TOTAL!  I feel amazing and I didn't gain it all back by eating some Mexican food!  Now, if I chose to cheat and indulge everyday I would, but not by doing the 80/20 rule!  The crazy thing is that I actually lost the least amount of weight from my other 21 Day Fixers in my Challenge Group!!  I lost the least at 6 pounds, then there were some 7 pounders, 10, 12, and even 16 pounds!  AMAZING!!

Feel free to read through each day of my 21 Day Fix for food ideas and my personal journey plus I will be blogging my review of each workout so check back soon for that!

I have Challenge Groups starting every single month so if you'd like to join one of my groups please comment below!  I would LOVE to help you reach your goals and the new 21 Day Fix Extreme comes out in Feb 2015!  Both programs are guaranteed to give you results so there is no risk!  

              

Day 13 of the 21 Day Fix

Today is Saturday...I used to never work out on Saturdays!  Those were my rest days and I couldn't imagine it any other way.  Until now.  I LOVE Dirty Thirty days!  This is my favorite workout of them all!  It has the cardio, it has the weights, I get a great workout but don't feel like I'm dying...it's perfect!

Today I tried E & E before my workout,  I had never tried it before so I wanted to give it a shot! I drank it about 15 minutes before my workout and loved it!  I felt energized but not gittery and I killed my workout!  These will be my new favorite thing on those days that you just can't seem to wake up!

 That afternoon my son had a basketball game and wanted to drink a pre-game Shakeology!  =)  My kids are obsessed with the stuff and I am happy to give it to them!  He had a great game and made 3 baskets!  This is our first year playing basketball and we're all loving it!  I'm so proud of my boy!

His fans!  =)

13 down, 8 more to go!

Day 12 of the 21 Day Fix

I have started waking up early and getting my workouts done before my day gets started and I LOVE IT!  There were a few workouts I did super late at night, one at 10:30, and I just don't like doing that!  I feel amazing when I get up and get it done for the day instead of it hanging over my head and me wondering when I'm going to fit it in as things pop up in our schedule!

So today was Cardio Fix and it's a killer!  =)  The Knee Highs in Round 1 are hard and even though you don't have your breath yet, it's time to start the next move so it's tough!  I learned I shouldn't drink too much water during the breaks because their is too much bouncing going on during these 30 minutes!  I really love the skater jumps and the lunges in round 3 are a breath of fresh air!  =)  When she said there was a Bonus Round I was none too pleased but pushed through anyway!  It's tough but I felt great afterwards!

 For lunch I had a delicious taco salad: 1 G, 1 Y, 1 R.

 Later in the day when I was wanting to snack I made some tea instead!  I tried Passion Tea and sweetened it with a little Stevia and honey and it was really good and helped me get through the afternoon without stuffing my face!  =)

That night I got together with some friends and we all went out and got pedicures and then went to my friends house for a fun night in with homemade, organic facials!  It was exactly what we Mommas needed!  We giggled and laughed like we were 13 year olds at a slumber party!  It was so much fun!  We are all in my Challenge Group so we were very good and stuck with healthy snacks and portions!  Wine=Yellow

Be sure to make time for friends who make you better!  These girls definitely do that for me!  

Day 12 down, 9 more to go!!

Day 10 & 11 of the 21 Day Fix

So day 10 pretty much looked exactly like day 9 except the workout was Lower Fix instead of Upper Fix!  =)  I was craving the same foods I ate yesterday so I repeated everything and it was just as good this time around!  Lower Fix was a great workout and not nearly as challenging as I thought it was last week!  

Day 11: Today's workout was Pilates Fix and I LOVED it!!  It too was easier than last week and the stretching aspect of it just felt so good!   I really feel like my habits are changing as I look forward to every workout and don't crave all the junk!  I'm really enjoying all the healthy foods I'm eating and don't feel deprived at all!  

 I of course had my Banana Nutter Shakeology after my workout!  

As a snack today I measured Plain Greek Yogurt in the red container and put it in a bowl and then mixed in cinnamon, apple pie spice and a little honey.  Then I measured berries in the purple and poured those in and it was REALLY good!

Day 10 and 11 down, 10 more to go!! 

Day 8 of the 21 Day Fix

The start of my second week!  I'm not going to lie, it feels really good to have made it past the weekend and still be on track!  Today was Total Body Cardio Fix and I really love this one!   I do think Autumn is a liar when she says the "surrenders" are the hardest move of the day!  =)  I beg to differ and feel like the knee pulls are harder but maybe that's just me!  Anyway, it was another great workout!

 I of course had my Chocolate Shakeology for breakfast and then for lunch I made this delicious salad!  I love that the containers are just so easy to use!  This program really is fool proof and if you read and follow the Meal Guide they provide for you then there is really no excuses and you WILL see results!  

 1 can of salmon, spinach, strawberries/blueberries, feta, and sunflower seeds.  

 I love that the portions are pretty big too!  You really do get enough food to fill you up and it helps you realize how much you were overeating in the first place!!

Day 8 down, 13 more to go!

Day 7 of the 21 Day Fix

Ahhh, the end of the first week!  Very rewarding to make it this far and know I'm a third of the way done!  =)  Today I had my Shakeology on the way to church and then had a salad when we got home.  Nothing spectacular that I thought was picture worthy!  =)  Then we had some friends come over to watch football and eat.  My hubby can make a mean pot of chili and it was perfect on this cold day!

He doesn't really measure things out but here are the ingredients:

• Ground meat (we use deer venison but you should use turkey to make it leaner than beef!)
• onion
• garlic
• cumin
• rosemary
• chili powder
• green chili's
• diced tomatoes
• ranch style beans
• salt (don't add salt if you can help it while on The Fix.)  

We then cook some rice and pour it over rice with a little cheese on top.  Delish!!

I used my containers to measure everything out and when everyone went for seconds and had dessert, I stuck to the plan...it was hard, but I did it!  =)

Then once my family went to bed I realized I hadn't done my workout yet today.  I couldn't skip it because I've been determined to make it through this whole thing and doubling up the next day wasn't going to cut it, so at 10:15 I pushed play and got my Yoga Fix on!

At first I thought it was going to be awful.  I'm not much of a yoga person, it's hard for me to slow down, and I really didn't think I could do it for a full 30 minutes.  Once it got to the balancing moves I started enjoying it and the stretching really felt amazing!  Overall, it was nice to have a "rest" day from the harder workouts and just stretch!  

Day 7 down, 14 more to go!

Day 6 of the 21 Day Fix

This was my mantra for the weekend!  You see, the weekend is the time during my previous attempts at the fix that I quit!  It's the weekend and who wants to watch what they eat on the weekend?  Well, I have worked hard this week and I don't want to give it all up now.  I'm determined to finish these 21 days so I'm sticking to it!

I had my morning Shakeology by the computer while I checked on my Challenge Groups and team!  It was delicious as always!  As you can see I drink out of the blender!  I often do that just so I don't have to clean another dish!  =)  It's true!

My workout was Dirty 30 and I really enjoyed it!!  It's a great workout but nothing that made me too miserable, haha!  It's actually one of my favorites!  

I worked up a sweat, stayed on my eating plan all day and then went to a friends house for dinner.  I GUESS you could say I cheated but I think I did a pretty darn good job!  She was a doll and cooked a 21 Day Fix approved meal that was delicious!!  I wish I had taken a picture but we had Salmon (1 red), broccoli (1 green), and these DELICIOUS sweet potatoes cakes that had corn, chives, and cilantro in them (1 yellow).  I could have eaten a ton of them but I stuck to my portions!  So what did I cheat on then?  WINE!  I only had 2 glasses and I saved a yellow just for that so technically I was all on point except for that second glass of wine!  I still call this night a win, wouldn't you!  

Day 6 down, 15 more to go!     

Day 4 & 5 of the 21 Day Fix

Two more days of success!

Day 4's Pilates Fix was an amazing workout!  I (again) thought it was going to be a pretty easy workout but no, I was feeling it!  Why am I expecting something super easy?  =)  I do want results, right!?  Loved it!

Today I was running errands all over the place so I actually drank a Shakeology for breakfast and lunch, snacked on some carrots and then we had tacos for dinner which is one of my favorite meals and LOVE that it's 21 Day Fix approved!

red, green, yellow

Day 5's Cardio Fix had me all sweaty and really puffing for air!  =)  The burpees sure did get me and there were parts that I felt like I couldn't do it for the full minute but I pushed through, sort of!  It wasn't pretty!  Autumn kept saying, "You can do anything for 60 seconds!"  I'm not so sure about that Autumn!  =)  This was one was rough!!

My favorite meals to share today are my "breakfast" tacos that I ate for lunch!  =)  1 egg , 1/2 a red container of ground turkey (I used venison meat because my husband is a hunter and it's the leanest meat around!), 2 corn tortillas, and cheese!  I was really disappointed when I realized we didn't have plain Greek Yogurt and Salsa to put on top but, oh well!  

1 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue

For dinner I had a delicious salad of spinach, 1 can salmon, grapes, sunflower seeds, covered with Balsalmic vinegar and Mrs. Dash salt free seasoning!  It was delicious and if I hadn't had cheese at lunch I would have topped it with feta cheese!  =)

2 greens, 1 purple, 1 red, 1 orange

Day 4 & 5 down...16 more to go! 

As you can see my kids started the workout with me but they didn't last long before they bailed! Quitters!  =)

Day 3 of the 21 Day Fix

Another day down!  After squeezing in a workout yesterday, I decided to make sure I got up and did my workout this morning before my day of errands got started!  

Workout: Lower Fix- I thought it would be an easy day! Lower Fix.  Couldn't be that hard!  I didn't remember it being hard and I love leg day so I got started.  I instantly changed my mind!  This was NOT an easy day, my legs were WORKING!!  I didn't have to wonder if I'd be sore tomorrow...I know I will be!!!  =)  BUT I loved it!  Great workout and I know it will give me the butt and legs I want!  

Breakfast- Chocolate Shakeology shaken with cooled coffee and stevia.  Delicious and just what I needed to start my day!

Snack- Half an apple

Lunch- I put the other 1/2 of my apple in a mug and put it in the microwave for 30 minutes to soften. Then cooked my oatmeal and added the apples, cinnamon, and apple pie spice with a teaspoon of peanut butter! 

 I know the gluten free oatmeal looks weird and gummy, that's because it is or I just over cooked it but it was still REALLY good!

Snack- Carrots

Dinner- Not sure what it's called but it's a soup with meat and veggies over rice.  It was delicious!!!!

Snack- Another Shakeology.

I've found I am really happy when I get to the end of the day and have an extra red container to consume!  An extra Shakeology makes a great dessert some nights!  =)

Day 3 down, 18 more to go!  

Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix

Today was my first day of the 21 Day Fix.  OK, I confess, it's not my first day EVER but it is my first day this round!  See, I have attempted the 21 Day Fix two times before this but I gave up each time because I LOVE food and just threw in the towel.  How dare me!  My challengers that I'm coaching are doing it so why I can't I?  Well, I'm here to prove I CAN and I'm going to be posting about my journey everyday! 

I was very excited!  It's day 1, Christmas is over, New Years is over, I have new resolutions and I'm feeling motivated so all went well!   =)  I am coaching a new group with 29 woman in it so you just can't get more support than that!  I have no doubt this round will be a success due to these amazing women and they're encouragement!  

Here's how my day looked:

Workout: Total Body Cardio Fix.  Great workout!  Nothing TOO hard but definitely brings up your heart rate and gets you sweaty!  I wonder if I'll be sore tomorrow?  We'll see!  =)

Breakfast: Chocolate Shakeology, 1/2 banana, peanut butter, water, ice ( counts as red,purple,tsp)

Lunch: I took my kids to Build A Bear at the mall because it was the last day of Christmas break and afterwards we went to the Food Court.  I was surrounded by unhealthy options but I stayed strong and ordered grilled nuggets from Chick-Fil-A with fruit and water!  (Red,purple)

Dinner:  Gluten free bread, turkey burger, cheese, and veggies.  (Red, green, blue and each piece of bread was a yellow!). 

Snack: Later that night I got hungry and I still had one red and some greens to use so I had another Shakeology!  What can I say, I LOVE them!!  =)

Now, my day went great and I stuck to the diet however I still had greens left over at the end and I really need to be eating all my containers!  Overall, the day was a success and I'm feeling great!  The water intake is a HUGE change for me!  I hardly ever drink water (shame on me, I know!) so it is a struggle to keep drinking!  I peed more today than ever before!  A catheter would be very convenient for the next 20 days!  

1 day down...20 more to go!