Beachbody Canada Launch - Winnipeg

Yesterday was such an AMAZING day! It really is hard to put into words the energy, the emotion, the fun, the excitement, the joy, and the tears, that summed up yesterday. 

Right from first thing in the morning to into the wee hours of this morning we laughed, cried, grew as a team, and connected as part of the larger family of Team Beachbody.

On August 28th the Team Beachbody Opportunity officially launched in Canada and there have been events taking place across Canada. Yesterday was OUR turn to SHINE! And did we SHINE!

We were ridiculously lucky to have THREE amazing representatives from Beachbody in Winnipeg to lead us through and get us ready to ROCK CANADA! We had Arnauld Nakaha,

Michael Neimand,

and DUN DUN DUN….

the one….

the only…

AUTUMN CALABRESE

I am still on cloud 9 that I was not only able to listen to her speak, but participate in a LIVE workout, got to have my picture taken with here, AND had her sign my 21 Day Fix case. 

Even cooler was that I actually got to speak at this prestigious event. Yep, your truly was able to get up on stage and share my fitness success story of losing 101 lbs to 230 people. I think I did pretty awesome, you'll have to check out the video (which I'll post later) and tell me what ya think!

Here is Arnauld Nakaha introducing me and inviting me onto stage.

Now, if you think that was fun, just WAIT until you see what our evening consisted of. I like to joke that Beachbody coaches work hard and play harder. And man did we ever last night. I celebrated the night away with 30 top coaches from across Canada. We are on the front lines of ending the trend of obesity and is was so much fun to take some time to bond together, share our stories, and get to know each other. 

Our evening started with dinner, and we went around the table I sat I (there were three tables total) and just at our table alone we lost a total of 362 lbs. CRAZY! I learned of others' transformations. Some were physical and some were more personal and emotional transformations. 

After dinner we had Winnipeg's longest stretch limo pick us up and take us for a tour around the city. CRAZY!!! I haven't been in a limo in years, and was nothing like this one. We had the music cranked and we had such a blast driving around the city. After the limo ride we went to one of Winnipeg's poshest clubs, Opera, where we were treated to bottle service. Champagne and Grey Goose vodka. I was BLOWN. AWAY. But really it makes sense as we had so much to toast to. We toasted to the Team Beachbody Canada Launch. We toasted each other's weight loss success. We toasted our business successes. And we toasted just for the pure sake of toasting. 

I'm still pinching myself that I got to experience what I did yesterday. With the energy I felt yesterday I can only imagine what Beachbody Summit in Nashville will be like next year! It will be on a whole other level. 

I am so in love with this company and everything it stands for. Like CEO Carl Daikler said at the event in Vancouver, isn't just about ending the trend of obesity, but ending the trend of low self esteem and feeling like we don't matter. I matter. YOU matter. We all MATTER! 

I am part of this and I would love for you to be a part of it as well! Please consider joining the Rock Your Life Movement team. 

Butter Chicken Recipe

Making butter chicken is one of the ways that I like to use up chicken thighs. I bought a big pack of them from Costco and the other evening pulled out the recipe. It was a cool and chilly day so it was perfect for making something spicy, warm, and cozy. I posted the pic on Facebook and got lots of requests for the recipe so here it is!!

What you're going to need:

5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 medium sized onions
1 can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp butter or ghee
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 cup milk (cow or almond)
3 tbsp cream OR canned coconut milk


What to do: 
Melt the butter in a pan
Chop the onions and add to the melted butter and fry until lightly golden
Add the following: ginger, garlic, coriander, chilli power, salt, garam masala, and tumeric
Let the spices fry with the onions a few moments until it becomes nice and fragrant
Chop of the chicken into the size of pieces you'd like and then add to the pan
Let the chicken fry about 5 minutes
Add the can of tomato sauce, milk, and cream OR coconut milk
Let it lightly simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes)

Serve with rice and steamed or lightly sautéed veggies.

Enjoy with a nice cup of chai tea :)

Getting Back on Track With Your Diet and Exercise-My Story

One thing I notice about myself is that when I back off from posting on my blog, posting food and workout pix, it's usually because I'm slacking off on those actual activities. It makes sense then that I have ignored my blog since July 18th. OUCH!!!

While I don't have an actual good reason I do have excuses. Mostly being that my Birthday month was August and I had a dear friend in the city for 7 weeks, which meant lots of hanging out, ice creams, a big ol pasta dinner, a fancy dinner out, Starbucks, and then some harder beverages every so often. This meant I wasn't on top of my meal plan AND I was slacking on my regular workouts. I wasn't tooootally lazy, there were lots of walks to parks and afternoons spent in the pool, but overall my consumption was WAY off from what I was expending.

Then there was that binge I had when I totally fell off my Whole 30 on day five. It was pretty epic even by my binge standards. The first few indulgences Rock would ask me if it was compliant and I would give him the glare. Then I began to give the staredown. Then he stopped asking all together. Sometimes you have to hit the bottom of your pit to climb out again.

So here I am. Climbing back out again.

In order to do this there has to be honesty with oneself. So myself yesterday I stepped on the scale to discover that not only was I a little up but I was WAY up. Are you ready for it??

I weighed in at 173.8 lbs yesterday morning.

Pause. Oh. My. GOSH!

Mild panic attack.

Deep breathes.

Look in mirror. It doesn't LOOK like I put on that. But my scale is fancy shmancy and new so it is likely very accurate. My clothes do feel a touch snugger. I feel sluggish myself. The only consolation in it was that the new scale tells body fat percentage and listed it at 28.5% and my BMI was still in healthy range. That was reassuring because those are the numbers that I am more interested in anyways. But still. That is one HECK of a gain.

So after my freak out I knew I needed to really go back to basics. Now that I think about it my whole past year diet wise was kind of wacky. I lost a lot of focus. Not that I wasn't trying. More like I had too many things to focus on. Mostly because I do so much researching and considering and researching some more. All that information out there, much of it contradictory, can really become overwhelming.

As I said I am returning to my basics. Nothing too crazy. I have to return to what was a very key activity for me and that was tracking. I CAN NOT emphasize enough the importance of tracking. Seriously. I don't care how you do it. App or old fashioned paper and pen. Calories, My Fitness Pal, or a WW points style. Just that you freaking do it. NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, acts like a wakeup call like tracking does.

Oh, there is another consolation too. I am fairly confident that this weight will come off easily. Most of this gain is either one of two things. Bloat…from too much sugar, low quality carbs, and salts. What isn't bloat I consider to be "new" fat. It hasn't unpacked and set up permanent shop on my hips. It's more like a squatter, waiting for an enforcer to come and kick it off the property. Well here I am. Enforcing. Not get the frig off.

Even one day in and already my behaviours (and theories) are reinforced. I'm already down to 171.5. That's right. In one day of truly making conscious choices and ensuring I worked out, I went down 2.3 lbs. Yes, yes, probably all water weight, which makes it in line with my theory anyways. Or is it a hypothesis. As long as the first five drop with such ease the remainder will be easier on my psyche to lose.

In any case, I'm still on my adventure. Ups and down and plateaus, and falling right off a cliff into an abyss are all a part of it. My plan is my safety net though. Not all is lost. And just for some simple math I want to show how my journey has progressed over the last three years.

July 2011          250 lbs
July 2013          155 lbs
Nov 2013         149 lbs (right after I finished the 21 Day Sugar Detox)
Mar 2014          157 lbs (added 8 lbs muscle due to P90X3)
Sept 2014         173.8 (What the whaaaaat?????)

What happened between March and September definitely threw me. As I said above most of the summer was a wash due to fun fun fun and the late winter and early spring were a wash due to stress stress stress. Combine and shake for a powder keg.

One things is for sure is that I have learned some major lessons. One is to never take success for granted. It is a constant daily activity. Another is that complacent behaviour can kill every ounce of moving forward. Lastly, is that life is constantly evolving and throwing shiz our way. We can't stop those things from happening but how we respond and push through makes all the difference. What we learn about ourselves, our habits, and our choices can help break you through to that next level or hold you back.

I will not let anything hold me back from reaching MY goals. Is there anything holding you back from YOURS? What is standing in your way. 99% of the time we are truly he ONLY thing standing in our way. I hear it all the time. Heck I do it too. We say "when I…then I can…". When never happens and you can't ever start. Start now. We have to own up to these choices. We have have recognize that WE are in charge of our bodies. WE have to stand up for our health.

I'll hop off my little soapbox now. It may hurt just a little, I did some P90X3 this morning, lol. I feel very positive about my direction and plan to have a most rockin' week.

Join my 10 Day Whole Foods Quest

Are you ready for an amazing adventure? 

Then YOU HAVE to join my 

10 Day Whole 

Foods Quest!!!

I'm super excited to share with you that starting Friday July 25th I will be running a FREE 10 Day group devoted to teaching you the principles ofhealthier eating. You're all invited!!!

Bring a friend (or a few).

Come join in and learn the tricks that helped me lose 100 lbs. I'll be sharing my tips, recipes, meal ideas, and more. I just know from my own personal experience that nutrition is KEY! It is 80% of your results. I want to share this information with you as it will truly set you free with your nutrition. It's not a diet. It's a way of living.

I follow a plan that I have created for myself that follows a combination of clean eating and paleo principles. I don't starve. I enjoy food. And I like to eat. A LOT. So don't be afraid. Embrace how good you are going to feel when you implement these changes.

This is a totally FREE opportunity to learn. I am sharing with you what I know, what I have have learned, what I have spent THREE years studying on my own time (while raising three kids).

To participate I do ask that you create a free teambeachbody membership to show your commitment to your health.

You can sign up for your membership here: http://bit.ly/1fBLnLo

Then friend me on Facebook at Facebook.com/jsanfordfamily and send me a message saying "I'M IN". If you are already a current challenger you are welcome to join as well, just let me know you are interested.

There is NO obligation to buy anything to participate.

Please SHARE with your friends!! Spread the word, the more the merrier 

Let's get rockin' on the 10 Day Clean Eating Quest together!

Is Beachbody Coaching Legit?

Looking up what Beachbody Coaching is all about? Wondering if Beachbody Coaching is legit or is it a scam?

Look no further. 

YES Beachbody Coaching is legit. 

NO it is NOT a scam.

Beachbody coaching is an amazing business model and it is something that ANYONE can do. There are no limits. You are your own boss. 

By joining my team you can look forward to all the following perks and benefits:

-choose your level of success and income

-enjoy residual income

-have exponential growth

-YOU choose who is on YOUR team 

-economic proof!

-minimal investment 

I love that I can give to others and help them reach their goals. I love connecting with people, learning about their struggles, and showing how Beachbody Coaching can be the answer.

But don't I have to get in early to be successful? 

Absolutely NOT! In Beachbody Coaching you are 100% responsible for your success. You can surpass your upline coaches. You can create your business your way and to reflect what success means to you. 

True, it is a multi level marketing business BUT and that is what makes it the perfect fit for anyone. College dropout? Perfect, no degree necessary. Unfit and unhealthy? Perfect, take others along with you through your journey. 

This is an opportunity to grow a REAL business, where YOU are your own brand and Beachbody gives you the tools. If you are true and honest in your business you will grow and over time have a full time income with part time hours FROM HOME.

As my business grows Beachbody affords me more and more every time. What started out with a few cheques here and there has grown. I am now earning similar to what I earned as a part time secretary except I am at home with my kids, doing the things I love, and saving money by not having to pay for daycare and gas. It's a total win win no brainer for me. 

What is Beachbody Coaching NOT

It is NOT a scam

It is NOT a great rich quick scheme

It is NOT icky sticky sales

I want to know how I can join 

this rocking opportunity! 

That's fantastic. I'd love to share more with you. Quickly fill out the application form HERE and I'll get back to you and we chat about how Beachbody Coaching can add joy and freedom to your life. 

Baking with Blueberries

Have you found yourself with too many blueberries on hand? Yeah, that was me this week. IS me I should say because I still have a bunch left.

And when I say too many I don't mean that in a "bad" way. It's just tricky to use up a lot of them before they go bad, and blueberries going bad, now THAT would be the bad thing.

So the other day I found myself with an overstock of blueberries…

What happened is we bought one big pack at Costco and then we had to quickly stop at Sobeys and grab something where my husband picked up another pack, not realizing we already had one from Costco. So now here we are LOTS of these sweet little blue morsels. 

Since then we've been putting them in everything. Blueberries in our Sunday pancakes, in our yogurt, in our Shakeology, in my late night cereal snack (ooopsss), in this morning's oatmeal. And I have a blueberry lemon loaf baking in the oven right now to take to a friend's for afternoon tea ;) Keeping my fingers crossed it turns out well, haha.

That pretty much took care of ONE PACK! I still have another one to dig into. I'm thinking another batch of pancakes to freeze to pull out for quick snack or breakfast. I may also do a baked oatmeal with them. 

Now all these blue buddies wouldn't be so bad either if I hadn't also grabbed a thing of strawberries and raspberries!! I observed yesterday that I can tell when the fruit season shifts as I have next to no apples and pears on my counter but my fridge is jam packed with berries of all kinds. NOT complaining though as berries are super duper healthy and the kids and I love 'em. 

What are some of your favourite ways to use up extra fruit so it doesn't go bad? I do find that baking with it makes a great option but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

And in case you are interested here is my recipe for the blueberry the blueberry lemon loaf.

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

Mix together the dry ingredients

1 and 3/4 cup flour 

1/3 cup coconut sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

zest of 1/2 lemon

Mix together the following wet ingredients

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together

****When wet and dry ingredients are partially mixed add in 1/2 cup melted coconut oil****

Add in 1 cup blueberries

Place into a coconut oil greased loaf pan

Baked at 375' for approx 40 minutes

If you like you can also make a super easy glaze that soaks into the top by mixing the juice of one lemon with 1 tbsp coconut sugar, then lightly pour over the top while still warm. 

Now I better go check on that loaf, it smells pretty yummy from my spot at the table. 

Does P90X3 Really Work?

Are you looking for a program that is going to finally give you the results that you have been looking for? If so you REALLY need to get P90X3. 

Unlike the original P90X, the X3 version is ONLY 30 MINUTES!!! For me that was a HUGE plus because I am a busy mum of three, I don't have time to devote long amounts of time to working out BUT I still wanted results. 

There are multiple schedule options so you can pick exactly what it is you are going for. With the Mass Schedule you can put on extra muscle mass while leaning out, the classic and lean schedules will get you the weight loss you are looking for, and IF you can give an hour each day there is a Doubles schedule to fast track your way to looking AMAZE.

Both my husband and I throughly enjoyed doing P90X3. After the kids were tucked in every night we would push play and have a blast. 

Here are MY amazing P90X3 Results

Here are my husband's amazing P90X3 results

You can also check out my video that I did that shows my results and transformation

It truly blows my mind that I used to be obese class II AND a mother of three and I am finally getting the body that I have always dreamed of having. P90X3 can do the SAME for you.

Here are some of my pix from when I used to be 250 lbs so you can see how far you can go when you making simple changes.

With Shakeology and P90X3 I can have high end nutrition and one of the world's best trainers right in the comfort of my own living room. 

Currently I am now doing a brand new program called PiYo but I love my P90X3 so much I am going to do a hybrid of both. It's going to be so much fun. 

I want these results…Where do I join?

If you are ready to take your weight loss and fitness to the next level you are in luck!! You can try P90X3 AND Shakeology with a 30 Day money back guarantee!! 

You can get both at an incredible discounted bundle price for ONLY $205 which is a savings of $70 from buying them separately. 

Get the results you want in less time than it takes to get to and from the gym. 

Order P90X3 and The 30 Day Supply of Shakeology HERE

Not quite ready to order but still wanting to start your health and fitness journey or have additional questions? Please add me as your FREE PERSONAL COACH!! I struggled for 15 years with obesity and love helping others find success in their adventure to becoming health and fit. 

Oh and PS. When you do any Beachbody program you get to submit your results to the Beachbody Challenge which means getting a FREE T-Shirt AND a chance to win big money prizes. 

Wherever you are at in YOUR journey I hope you keep on rocking every day to the fullest :)