Operation Summer Slimdown

Only a few days left to get signed up to participate in my next challenge group: Operation Summer Slimdown. 

If you are ready to get on the right path to reaching your goals then this is an excellent opportunity for you. All programs are done in the comfort of your home (gyms only give you extra excuses). All coaching is done through a private Facebook group and private message. There are three excellent programs to choose from (Brazil Butt Lift, T25, and my new favourite the 21 Day Fix). 

Deadline is on or around April 29th: I don't want anyone to be left out so this provides enough time for challenge packs to be ordered and delivered. 

Challenge Begins: May 12th

Perks: Did you know that when you complete a Beachbody Program that you get to enter the Beachbody Challenge contest? Not only do you get a FREE completion shirt for your program but you are also eligible to win daily, monthly, quarterly, and the big top annual prize. 

To find out more and get started send me a friend request Facebook.com/jsanfordfamily

You can also find me at Facebook.com/rockyourlifemovement

Invest in yourself and ROCK YOU LIFE! 

Shatter Your Weight Loss Plateau

As I sit here in the middle of a plateau and letting it play that typical head game with me I started taking a hard look at why and formulating a plan. I figured why not write a blog post about it. I'm not the only one to deal with these. So here I am. 

So without any question Plateaus SUCK! You've been working along, making progress, then for some reason your weight loss seems to stall (and while I'm referring to weight loss plateaus I am sure this can apply to stagnating results in many life areas).

These little slow downs or full out stalls in your progress can really mess with your head. You may be thinking that this is where I should stick at, you may be thinking well why am I trying so hard I'm going to quit, or maybe you actually get a little depressed about it and turn to some comfort foods. Scouts honour I've done it all. Many times my reaction throws all logic about it out the window and I feel like throwing my hands in the air. I know I should know better too, but hey, we are ALL human.

Here is my personal predicament. Before Christmas I hit 149 and was SUPER excited about it. Between then and now I have actually gained 8 lbs. Which honestly isn't much. Also that 157 can be predominantly assumed to be muscle gain. I WAS doing the P90X3 mass schedule after all. I wasn't expecting the scale to drop in the first place.

However, I have now switched to a different program and the last few weeks have found myself stuck at that 157 mark. It has been suggested that perhaps this is my mark, but I don't buy it. I did hit 149 before, my goal is 145 and I know for a fact that I can definitely lose some flub in very specific ares (like my butt and thighs).

So lets talk about some of those plateau logistics shall we. Like what causes a plateau? Well, hard to say. They can happen for a variety of reasons. Here are a few:

1. You are trying to lose those last 5-10 lbs. This is different than weight loss at a heavier level. The body doesn't quite respond the same way. If you are already at a healthy weight the body doesn't necessarily want or need to lose them. I have seen these referred to as "vanity pounds".

2. You are losing fat but adding muscle. It is all balancing out really. This is where it is important to look at progress pictures and measurements. Just because the scale isn't telling you what you want to see doesn't mean that things aren't happening.

3. You are eating too little. If you have been following a calorie deficit it is actually possible to eat too little. Sometimes the body gets protective about it's fat stores if it is worrying that it isn't going to actually be fed. Your metabolism may have slowed down and isn't as effective.

4. You are eating too much. This happens a lot and has to do with what I could call complacency. You just kind of get used to what you are doing, not measuring as much, not tracking as well, not as consistent, getting bored.

5. Your body has reached a particular fitness level and won't progress until you ramp it up. The body adapts to exercise and just won't go further if you just keep doing the same thing. There is also muscle memory. You just aren't challenging your body. Change things up. Challenge yourself.

6. Are your actually tracking? Keeping a running tally in your head isn't enough. How many workouts a week are you nailing? Did you start out at 6 a week and now down to only two or three? Start tracking and you may find out exactly where this plateau is coming from.

7. Are you putting to much pressure on yourself? Is it really a plateau or have you just had a few off weeks? I can honestly say I have never had a gain where I didn't know it was coming, lol.

8. Stress and Sleep. These are SUPER important. Even if your diet and fitness are on point if you aren't getting enough sleep or you are stressed more than usual you need to dial things back in both those areas.

9. You may have a hormonal imbalance or some other type of medical issue that is affecting your weight loss. Thyroid issues and PCOS come to mind. If you have exhausted ALL other options and still are not seeing progress it is time to hit up your doctor.

My biggest take away from all this?

 YOU HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF!!

 Ask yourself questions like are you letting all this go to your head and restricting too much? What are my goals? Have I looked at other means of measuring progress? Have you gotten quite frankly a little lazy on the nutrition side of things and those portions are creeping up and having a little too many treats/treat meals? Is it time to move out of that comfort zone and push a little harder in your workout? 

A) Here is my personal assessment. First off, my nutrition has been ALL over the place. I find best results when I hang out at an 80/20 balance. Recently I've been probably more of a 50/50. I haven't been tracking since about September/October so quite frankly it is a miracle I haven't gained much more. I have switched over from P90X3 Mass Schedule to the 21 Day Fix which is a calorie deficit. My body is adjusting.

B) Honestly, this past week I was NOT consistent with my containers on the 21 Day Fix. I'm having a personal issue with deciding which category I need to hang out in. I have some experimenting to do. I'm pretty sure my problem isn't eating too few calories, lol. This is also where it doesn't matter what your balance is, you could be eating 100% clean but if your portions are still out of whack you aren't going to see results. I'm kicking my own butt on this one.

C) Vanity pounds? Guilty as charged, lol. It is also an area of weight loss I never really thought I'd find myself in. It requires a slightly different mind set and a little more consistency on my part.

I have been going over in my head the last several months and I have some serious tightening up to do. I'm going to be more consistent with my containers. I'm going to go the next caloric category up and see what that does. I'm also going to try to give a little harder in my workouts. You don't get to that next level without letting go of that comfort zone. I MUST practice what I preach after all.

Above all I hope this has helped you in some way. If you are struggling first of all be honest with yourself, do some tracking, and figure out where your troubles are coming from. Maybe it'll only take a few tweaks to get yourself back on track. Maybe you don't realize how "off" you've gotten. You aren't alone in this struggle. Keep at it, I know we can rock this thing together.

Healthy Strawberry Shake

I was just sipping on an amazing Strawberries and Cream Shakeology thinking to myself that hopefully just hopefully warmer weather is on the way, and how LUCKY I am that I can indulge in a frosty treat every day that isn't going to break my eating plan, will actually be healthy for me, and is DELICIOUS. 

The Strawberry Shakeology I made today was particularly indulgent and STILL a far cry from what the fast food alternative would be.

In my own Strawberries and Cream version I used:

1 scoop/packet of Strawberry Shakeology

1/4 cup as clean/natural as possible Strawberry yogurt (I like the Astro Balkan style)

3/4 cup almond milk 

handful of ice cubes

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

Blend until nice and creamy and enjoy. 

This is the first time I've really put yogurt into my shakeology and the creaminess was amazing. Now I'm wondering if lime yogurt would give it a margaritaness. 

So lets compare…

McD Strawberry Shake (Med)         

Cals 720                                                      

Fat 18g                                                        

Sodium 430 mg          

Carb 128 g

Fibre 0

Sugar 103 g

Protein 15 g

My Health Strawberry Shakeology 

Strawberries and Cream (Blended)

Cals 368.5

Fat 7

Sodium 291 mg

Carb 35.5 g

Fibre 5.5 g

Sugar 23.75 g

Protein 19.25

To see the breakdown of the individual ingredient's nutritional info check at the end of the post. 

By choosing to make yourself this at home instead of a drive through option you are getting almost half the calories, half the fat, carbs drop from 128 to only 35.5, not to mention the extra protein and fibre!!! 

And then the nutritional info aside, how about the ingredients. Shakeology is made of the best organic super foods and is GMO free. 

Here is a peak at every thing 

With the add ins: Almond milk can be as pure as just almonds and water, I use Blue Diamond so there are a few extra things in there but no where near what you'll find in a fast food shake. Then the yogurt again depending on what you use can be incredibly clean. It is win win all around.

If you are looking towards warmer weather and will be treating yourself then you need to get yourself some Shakeology. Be healthy without sacrificing flavour and treat yourself without sacrificing your health.

To find out more about Shakeology please message me at Facebook.com/rockyourlifemovement or check out rocknshake.com too! 

Additional Nutritional Information: 

Packet/Scoop of Strawberry Shakeology

Cals 130

Fat 1g

Sodium 120 mg

Carb 15 g

Fibre 3

Sugar 7 g

Protein 16 g

Serving of Almond Milk (3/4 cup)

Cals 30

Fat  2.5 g

Sodium 135 mg

Carb 1.5 g

Fibre 0.5 g

Sugar  0 g

Protein  0.75 g

Serving of Yogurt (1/4 cup) 

Cals 80

Fat 3.5 g

Sodium 32 mg

Carb 9 g

Fibre 0 g

Sugar 9g

Protein 2 g

1/2 cup Frozen Strawberries 

Cals 38.5

Fat 0g

Sodium 4 mg

Carb 10 g

Fibre 2 g

Sugar 5 g

Protein 0.5 g

Spice of Life

Some people make the HUGE misconception that eating clean and eating healthy is boooooring. That couldn't be farther from the truth! I am a huge fan of fuelling with flavour! 

Sure if you are cooking up plain ol chicken boobs all the time it is going to get monotonous. HOWEVER if you are prepping those breasts (or fish fillets, or other lean cuts) the right way boredom be gone!

It is super important that you keep your pantry stocked with a wide variety of herbs and spices. Using these regularly is what will keep your taste buds from getting tired of the same old same old. 

I have a few favourites that I ALWAYS have on hand:

-onion powder

-garlic powder

-chili powder

-cayenne pepper

-basil

-oregano

-parsley

-sage

-thyme

-dill

-cumin

This list doesn't include the collection of Indian/Curry spices I am collecting 

or my sweet spices (like cinnamon or nutmeg)

By keeping these always available I can make a WIDE variety of tasty meals. I also like to keep a range of blends on hand. I don't buy the blends in the store though, no way, those usually have a lot of added salt, silica (yes, that would be sand!), and other preservatives. Make up your own spice blends to save money and not have to worry about the additives. 

Here are a few quick easy blends. Just put the amounts into a jar and give er a shake when you want to use them. 

Sweet and Spicy 

Modified from the 21 Day Sugar Detox

(goes great on chicken!!)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1/2 tbsp paprika

1/2 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp sea salt

Breakfast Sausage Blend

Modified from the 21 Day Sugar Detox Cookbook

(use a few tbsp in 1 lb of ground pork for easy homemade sausages)

1 tbsp sea salt

1/2 tbsp sage

1/2 tbsp thym

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp red pepper

Ranch Blend

Came up with this one on my own ;)

(Mix 1 tsp with 1/4 cup of plain greek or balkan yogurt)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp sea salt 

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Pizza/Spagetti Sauce Blend

Another RYLM original

(put 1 tbsp mixed into 1 cup plain tomato sauce)

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp sea salt

1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper

Feel free to modify any of these to suit your tastes! Finding the right balance for you is important!

The more you try out different herbs and spices and blends the more creative you can get with your cooking. These are a great way to kick up your cooking a notch. Also having all these on hand both on their own or in blends means a tasty meal is only a few shakes of a spice jar away. 

P90X3 Final Results and Transformation

The day finally came. The day that we were able to take our final P90X3 pictures and claim that we are official P90X3 graduates. 

I must say it was a very enlightening and incredible journey. There is just so much that I could say about this program. First and foremost though Tony Horton is an AMAZING trainer. Some people may knock an at home workout program but clearly they've never done a program like this.

There were different schedules to choose from so depending on what you want out of it there is a detailed plan on how to achieve it.

We decided to do the Mass Schedule which as the name suggests focused on developing muscle mass. There was minimal cardio (which I liked, lol). Since the focus this time wasn't necessarily on weight loss I didn't lose any weight by the scale, I actually gained 8 lbs, HOWEVER as you can see by my pix I definitely lost body fat percentage. My husband lost 10 lbs AND built muscle.

Since they say a picture can tell a thousand words I will post a couple collages and a video and leave it at that.

I will still be detailing what each workout contained in the future. If you or someone you know is looking to lose weight or increase their fitness level tell them about P90X3 and tell them that they can get an experienced X3'er to be their personal coach through the process.

I look forward to helping others ROCK OUT their P90X3 journey.

Chilli Chicken in Sauce

I have another recipe for you! Another quick and easy one too. This one I came up with one evening where I really wasn't sure what I was going to do. It was immediately a favourite. 

Chilli Chicken

1 tbsp olive oil

handful of mushrooms equally sliced

1/2 onion thinly sliced

1/3 green pepper thinly sliced

1/2 clove of garlic finely chopped

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs cut up in equal pieces

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin

pinch oregano

1/4 tsp salt

few cracks of black pepper

1 cup tomato sauce

Fry the veggies up in the olive oil. Once they are tender toss the chicken in to fry. When chicken is half cooked put the spices, salt, and pepper in and mix well. Pour in the cup of tomato sauce. Let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

*If you get your rice on first, get the veggies cut and rolling, then toss in the chicken and follow the rest of the chilli chicken steps everything should come out in about 30 minutes from start to finish depending on how smoothly you work.*

This goes great served with rice and steamed broccoli and carrots. I seem to be on a broccoli and carrot kick lately. I go through phases. I'm routine yet random that way.

Lemon Ginger Sauce

The other day I made a super nummy lemon ginger chicken. Paired up with some veggies and basmati rice and it makes a perfectly balanced meal.

Lemon Ginger Sauce 

1/3 cup coconut aminos

1/4 cup water

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 clove garlic finely minced

1/2 thumb size piece of ginger finely minced

1/2 med onion diced or sliced thinly 

2 tsp arrowroot powder

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let those flavours meld while you fry up some pieces of chicken. When chicken is just about finished pour the sauce in and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until thickened.

For my veg I like to steam carrots and broccoli until tender crisp and then toss them with the chicken and sauce. If you'd like to do celery you could toss it in with the chicken shortly before the sauce, same with bok choy.

I think I may just have to make this sauce again tonight, perhaps see if I can tweak it into a ginger beef recipe.

Have a Rockin' Sunday night and week ahead.

Just Drink Shakeology

There are so many reasons why I think everyone should drink Shakeology. It is so good you, tastes great, gives you an excellent breakdown of macronutrients. Plus it is so DAMN EASY! 

I really don't know why people make their health so difficult. They latch onto every little fad or trick they think is going to help them lose weight. They just don't want to put in the effort necessary. After having lost 100 lbs though I know that there are only a few ways to actually do it right.

 Exercise and eat healthy 

Eating healthy actually has to do with 80% of your results. BUT a huge problem is that few people do the eating healthy part right. Here is a suggestion. Just Drink Shakeology.

Why force yourself to choke down nasty green juices. Just Drink Shakeology. 

Why spend money on different supplements and proteins and green mixes. Just Drink Shakeology. 

Why wait in a drive through in the morning and spend $7 on junk. Just Drink Shakeology. 

Why leave your health and weight loss all up to chance. Just Drink Shakeology.

Why eat junk food and fall off the wagon to your cravings. Just Drink Shakeology. 

It just makes sense to me. I drink Shakeology every day. Sometimes twice a day. I truly love it. Who doesn't want to have a milkshake or two every day?

Shakeology has helped me with digestion and with regularity (I used to have some issues with IBS). I am a homeschooling mum of three that works out 30-60 minutes each day and Shakeology gives me energy to do what I need to do. Speaking of working out, I used to do smoothies after my workouts and when I started using Shakeology I felt MILES better, my performance improved and my recovery after a workout was much much quicker.

This isn't just a sales pitch. This is me talking from experience. I'd be drinking Shakeology even if I didn't have a coach discount (I initially became a coach FOR the discount). Then I realized how awesome it was and want to tell everyone about it.

I went through an incredible weight loss...

I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!

I didn't go through the whole process and not learn a thing or two. And one thing I know is that Shakeology has made such a difference in maintaining my weight loss. 

P90X3 Review The Challenge

So there is this one workout above them all that really REALLY pushes me. Calling it The Challenge wasn't just a pun. It is 30 minutes of pushups and pull ups (or in my case barbell work-I'll explain later). 

The Challenge is all about pushing and pulling. You pick your numbers of how many of each you are going to do in the set and you do them. You get a wee little break and then another set. When I first did this workout I started doing 3 push ups and 5 overhead presses. I was SUPER excited that nearing the end of the program and the last time I ever had to do this particular workout that I had increased my numbers to 8 pushups and 12 overhead presses. There must be about five or six sets of each, I always lose count.

Now our house is not really set up well for a pull up bar. We do all our workouts in the living room where the TV is and installing two bars (one for Rock and one for me) is just not an option. Sooooo I could have scrapped that whole particular disc, swapped for something else, skipped all together. But no. Instead I chose to be adaptable and we pulled out my Les Mills Pump gear. When they were doing pull ups in the workout I was doing a variety of overhead presses, deadlifts, rows, and bicep curls. All depending on the type of pull up being done.

I really never knew before that there were so many different types of push ups and pull ups. Standard pull ups, V pull ups, vaulter pull ups, chin ups. Then under pushups there are fly push ups, standard push ups, staggered, and military pushups. Those military push ups were something special too because you had to raise one of your legs. There was NO hope in those first few weeks but somewhere between days 60 and the end all of a sudden BOOM I could do it!

I have to say that this is one of the workouts where I can really see what X3 has done for me. After two years of doing Jillian Michaels I was still doing push ups from my knees. Only a few weeks into X3 and I was doing them in that full position. And not only that but I was doing those one legged suckers too!

This is really a workout that tests not only your body but your mind. Push ups and pull ups have to be two of THE most disliked body weight exercises. They must be right up there with burpees. If you can get past that scared voice in your mind and just do it you will surprise yourself.

If you do P90X3 and have struggled with strength before you will find yourself Rocking out The Challenge too!

Jessica's Rockin' Spicy Ranch

We all have those things. You know the ones. Even though you know they aren't good for you you keep on having them. Dressing is one of those things for me. I am a ranch addict. Have been for a loooong time. 

I've gradually switched to different brands, settling last year on a Bolthouse ranch. By no means clean but one of the closest to clean as far as commercially available brands go. I had tried on several occasions making my own but I found with needing to get certain ingredients for recipes vs. how much to make vs. how much I used just didn't make sense. 

I can proudly say though that I have kicked my store bought salad dressing days to the curb. As of a few days ago I made the PERFECT substitute. It is spicy, it is dilly (secret to ranch), and has a nice tang that tradition buttermilk ranches have.

I am addicted! I have been putting in on my sandwiches, dipping my veggies in it, on my salad, and last night I put a dollop on top of my bolognese (DANGEROUS).

Super easy to prepare. These are the measurements to make just one serving so be sure to double or triple it if you want more!

Jessica's Rockin' Spicy Ranch

1/4 cup plain greek or balkan yogurt 

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

1/4 tsp dill

1/8 tsp salt

few cracks of black pepper (I like mine peppery)

just a smidgen of cayenne, about 1/16th of a tsp, you can be more daring if you like 

Just put it all into a container and stir it up and there ya go!

I have an actual set that measures a smidgen. Aren't these the CUTEST??!?!

This is so handy for me because I always have greek or balkan yogurt in the house and those spices should be standard in any clean eating kitchen. I'm going to have to make a bulk batch of it and store in a jar just so I can eliminate the step of pulling out my set of spices each time.

Give this recipe a whirl. Hope you enjoy my Rockin' Spicy Ranch.

Hold Your Life In Your Hands

Do you feel in charge of your life? Do you ever sit down and map out what you want. Do you focus on that which is most important to you? Are you holding your life in the palm of your hand or are you stuck in the flow of what the 21st century deems as "life". 

I want to share this with you. This is my life in the palm of my hand. Literally ;) 

I have this to keep sharp and consistent focus to my days. When I narrow down on what is important to me, where my passions are everything else that may be going on falls away. When something is stressing me out, pulling my attention in a different direction, I feel out of sync with myself.

The things that are important to me are my faith (cross), my family (coloured stones), my health (dumbbell) , and music (treble clef). I am passionate about these things. These are what I live for.

That doesn't mean you have to always actively be doing these things. We are scheduled to the max but keeping them close to your heart so that you always know what you are doing it for. Obviously there are things in life that still have to be taken care of but since when does adding extra stress, worry, and mental energy to a situation ever make it any better?

I'm not saying I always have a handle on things. I still get flustered by upsets to my day. I still have stuff happen in my days that really can bring me down. Big time. But when I step back and view everything based on where my mental energy should go, on what is truly important, I can see that whatever the situation is it can't steal my joy.

Do you ever feel out of sync with yourself? 

Between work, family, responsibilities, everything that comes along with being an adult, do you ever feel like something just doesn't feel right? You are you but who ARE you? We all have things we love to do, that make us come alive inside. When life gets busy we push those things aside. We forget what we are doing it all for and oddly what we are doing it all for we can't even do anymore.

What to do what to do? 

By focusing on the things we want out of out life we can change how we think. We see value in a greater context. You can see a bigger picture. We live in such a McWorld. We need to SLOW DOWN. and need to bring joy back to our lives. We need to do the things that bring us joy. Do the things we are passionate about.

Do something in your life that will help sharpen your focus. It doesn't have to be as much a statement like my charm necklace but something that is a gentle reminder of where you want to go. Write your life priorities on a list. Keep the list in your purse or wallet. I have all sorts of lists like this on my iPhone.  Pull it out as a reminder. Create a vision board (think like a collage of your dreams). When you feel pulled in a contrary direction, one that brings you down, look at it, remind yourself where your focus should be.

Even though we lead busy lives it is oddly true that it isn't that we don't have time, we don't MAKE time. If everyone was literally too busy to live their passions then how do hit television shows get those ratings?? Hone in on your focus, look for small ways that you can bring the things you love back into your life. Don't just live your life. Rock it!

P90X3 Yoga X Review

I'm a bit behind on doing my recap reviews of all the P90X3 workouts but I'm back at it with a post today about X3 Yoga.

I have to honestly say that I have never been a yoga fan. It moved too slow. I always felt bored. My balance was always sucky to begin with. I was much happier lifting dumbbells and squatting.

However I must say that I have become a believer in the importance of adding yoga to your regular routine thanks to this particular workout being a part of the schedule. If it weren't part of the schedule and if I weren't trying to be faithful to the schedule I probably would never have done it.

So far I have really noticed a huge benefit to my balance. I'm normally a klutz, trip a lot, and a little on the unsteady side. I can honestly say that the once a week yoga has helped with that.

We are doing the Mass Schedule of P90X3 and doing the yoga has also helped out TONS with nicely stretching out.

As a naysayer of yoga I also used to think that you really couldn't get a good workout from just yoga. I was wrong. I have changed my tune. My legs are usually just as sore after this as they are from a straight leg workout. Having to hold those tree and chair poses makes you really have to flex those hamstrings and glutes!

Then there are the mental benefits. At first I was still really distracted while doing it but the more I did it the more I would let my mind go. I began to to focus more. Instead of thinking to myself when is this going to be over I consciously let go and zoned out.

There are a variety of moves in this workout. Downward dogs, chair pose, tree pose, warriors, triangle, and more. My favourites have to be the bound side angle pose, downward dog, and tree pose. I love the stretch and strength I feel from doing these. Feels great to lengthen out after those more focused upper and lower workouts. The hardest still for me are the half moons but I'm getting there.

I know I have progressed for sure. I can go deeper into chair. I can balance no problem in tree (even holding a toddler). When I started I had to go pick up a block to use because I just couldn't reach all the way but it wasn't long until that block became unnecessary.

So a moral to my experience with X3 Yoga is GET OUT OF THAT COMFORT ZONE! You never know how you can rock your life in different ways unless you try.

Brazil Butt Lift ON SALE!!!

If you have been holding back from joining one of my challenge groups for whatever reason WAIT NO LONGER because Beachbody has put Brazil Butt Lift on promotion for the month of April. It is currently on sale for $140. That is the cheapest any challenge pack EVER gets. 

You save $20 off the regular cost of the challenge pack but buy purchasing the challenge pack you are actually saving $70 over buying Shakeology and Brazil Butt Life separately. This is the perfect way to try Shakeology and own an excellent workout.

I have been adding several of the Brazil Butt Lift workouts to my regular P90X3 routine and LOVING it. It is a great workout, lots of fun, and my glutes are always on fire when I'm done.

Check out the video below for more deets!

and while you are at it give yourself a laugh and watch me do the Cardio Axe dance combos

Here is a little breakdown in writing:

When you purchase a challenge pack you aren't just getting a workout. These workouts come with several discs meaning a variety of different workouts. You get a meal plan guide. You get a workout schedule (in this case there are four different ones depending on your goals). You also get the world's best health shake, Shakeology, to get you in the right direction with your nutrition. Also included is a free trial membership to the Team Beachbody Club where there are meal plans and exclusive content. 

BEST OF ALL you get ME as your FREE coach!!

I lost 101 lbs and learned a lot about health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness and I love sharing that with my challengers. You get the knowledge I spent almost three years getting. You get entry into my private challenge group to keep you motivated and pushing forward. 

Let's face it, it is spring now. It is warming up (hopefully where you are, where I am it is literally snowing outside). People are starting to think of summer plans, getting out the swimsuits, getting out the shorts. It has been a long hard winter. Why not do something fun and spicy and reach those weight loss goals in time for a rockin' summer.

To get started go check out the challenge pack page and sign up for the Brazil Butt Lift challenge pack and you will have me as your coach. Let's get you rockin your way to your goals. And doing a little Samba too :)  

P90X3 Agility X Review

Last night was a LATE night workout but I did it. You just have to pop that sucker in a push play sometimes. If you think about it too much you'll talk yourself out of it. Anyways, Agility X was on the schedule last night so here is my review on what this particular workout has to offer. 

I have to be honest this is one of the discs that I dread putting in the most. I am NOT a cardio fan. Also the fact that I rolled my ankle the very first time doing Agility X doesn't help. One tip: WEAR COURT SHOES NOT RUNNING SHOES. Tony tells you that. But I didn't listen.

But while I dread putting this one in I always feel pretty awesome and revved up afterwards. I have made definite improvements in many of the moves.

It is an interesting smorgasbord of moves actually. Lunges, squats, jump moves, balance work. Everything designed to get those legs moving (big calorie burning muscles) and get you quick on your feet. This is a workout that I kind of wish we did when I played high school basketball.

There are a few moves that I do modify mostly in terms of the footwork. Like I mentioned before I did roll my ankle doing this one so I am extra cautious of that. There are a few moves (like running around the lines, doing grapevines, and figure eights) that I have to slow it down just a touch so I don't risk injury. I am all about being smart with my workouts and you have to know your limits, which doesn't mean skipping something but means making it work for you.

A major component of this workout is also hitting specific parts. You set up tape on the floor and put Xs on them. You aim to hit those targets. When you are doing the lunges, and certain jumps, you look for those spots and hit them. Just like Tony says "X marks the spot people".

I have to say that Tony Horton also brings his A game with the humour in this one. He cracks a lot of jokes and his monologue during the cool down is particularly epic and sobering.

I hope you have been enjoying my breakdown and review of the various workouts included in P90X3. Remember if you are interested in rocking out some X3 yourself leave a comment, find me on Facebook, I'd love to coach you through the process.

P90X3 Total Synergistics Review

Last night we kicked off the start of the third last week of P90X3 with Total Synergistics. This is actually one of my favourite workouts in the X3 collection to do because of it's wide range of strength moves.

This workout has a lot going on. There are planks and balances and pushups. There are weighted squats and yoga poses. I get to use both dumbbells AND my body. I guess that is why they call it Total Synergistics.

Total Synergistics gives you 16 moves in all. Each move is done an average of 10 times (some more some less depending on the move).

One of my favourite moves in the workout is the side rise punch. While laying on your side you push yourself up with top arm and then while holding a dumbbell you punch out and then lower yourself back down. You get to hammer your arms in a few different ways with this one.

Another one I like is the glamour hammer. Maybe I like it because the name but also because I like hammer curls. They make me feel bad ass.

One particular move the I have a love hate relationship with the boat/plow combo. This one gives both my husband and I some trouble. Same goes for the push up side arm balance and the crawly plyo pushups. However at this point in the program I am actually getting considerably better at those as well.

As usual the cast is fantastic. I especially like the two girls who both appear in some of the other X3 workouts.

When I am all finished with the P90X3 program Total Synergistics is definitely a workout I plan to rock out on many occasions just on it's own.