New Year, New You! Becoming Better than Before

Its a new year, a time for a fresh start! In 2016, we are becoming better than ever before..... together!

I am a reader, and I always love a good book that captivates my attention and hopefully in some way will make a meaningful impact. I don't normally do "self-help" books. I am not usually the "self-help" book kind of gal, but Better than Before:Mastering the Habits of our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin was a random book I picked up on a quick pit stop to the library several weeks ago. I mentioned in my post on Jazzed Up Coffee and Peace Vibes, that I recently finished this interesting book on habit formation, but I didn't really dive into its greatness.

Me in the "all natural"- no makeup, filters, etc. This is the real me!

Gretchen Rubin, former lawyer and clerk to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner, now turned writer, really opened my mind as to why and how we create habits. She did extensive research into people's habit-forming quirks, and then applying that research she offered many strategies to help one implement a particular habit. I mentioned I randomly picked up Better than Before at the library; so there was little expectations with it and I had no idea who the author was, but the title was interesting to me... I wanted to become better! I needed something to listen to on my commute to and from work too, so it was the audio version admittedly (although I am currently reading 2 other books on my kindle so I need audio appeal sometimes too). I was intrigued to learn new ways I could create new healthy habits, maintain ones I had already established, and help others to develop lasting healthy habits as well. This seemed like a good enough gamble to try and see what the author had to offer.

After finishing the book, it was like a light bulb went off in my head. That's it! Living a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly, preparing and eating healthy meals, fostering better relationships, living purposely, decluttering your home..... while it greatly depends on our own morals, values, personality, and principles, it ALSO significantly depends on the type of habit-former you are! Honestly, when I first started this book, I thought I would NOT like it. She was very philosophical and sort of tried to explain the nature of the research...and I was like "Oh good Lord, where is this going?", but once she started explaining the four primary tendencies of habit formation. I was instantly intrigued or "hooked" if you will! I thought "this is why I do this, this is why I act this way, this is why its been so hard for me to do this or that'....." She explains that as she was doing her research for the book on habit formation, she noticed that people largely fell into 1 of these 4 habit-forming tendencies. Now some people can definitely have an overlapping nature regarding the tendencies, but usually one will stand out as the person's primary habit-forming tendency.

The four tendencies include:

Upholder- you meet outer and inner expectations, you can master habits on your own accord and make yourself accountable.

Questioner-resists outer expectations, meets inner expectations. You master habits only if you have
analyzed it thoroughly and it makes sense to you to do it. You question everything about developing a certain habit.

Obliger- meets outer expectations, and resists inner expectations. The epitome of the "people pleaser" and will largely create habits based on acccountability and feelings of obligations.

Rebel- resists outer and inner expectations..,...the epitome of "living on the whim" or "let's just wing it today". Habits almost feel constrictive to a rebel.

Take the Quiz: What type of habit-former are you?

The four tendencies...which one are you?

So I did some soul searching (ok and I took the quiz on Gretchen's website) to determine just what type of habit former I really was! I figured I would certainly overlap into a couple of them depending on the particular habit, but according to Gretchen's four categories... I was an upholder. An upholder will maintain their habits because it brings a sense of true internal satisfaction and approval. I thought that was interesting because I knew how important accountability was to me and thought surely I am an obliger. While that may be true, I think we all have a little of all four categories in us, and different habits may require different strategies for implementing them.  I would like to identify myself as a sole upholder, but I saw areas in my life where I seemed to fit in the other categories. There are some habits I have formed over this last year that I think would classify me as an "upholder", but joining monthly health and fitness accountability groups makes me more like an obliger...so you see some overlap.

So why do I read these types of books and what do I try to take from them?

Personal Development! I consider myself a spiritual person, and read many books related to my faith. But sometimes I am just a modern 21st century girl living in a south Louisiana world, And I want information, tips, strategies, techniques for living life in the modern day world while still "upholding" my personal morals, values, and faith. I also want to be as healthy and fit as possible in this world. I would think that most people want to be fit and get healthier, right?! People want to have great energy levels, feel comfortable in clothes, eat a good meal without the pangs of caloric guilt. Why and how is it easier for some people to establish lasting healthy habits, and yet it can be so difficult for others? Its not always a matter of apathy, laziness, or unwillingness; maybe its a matter of how we try to tackle a habit. Whether its to start a new habit, maintain one already established, or quit one that is not so healthy, we need to understand the type of person we are and our habit-forming tendencies in order to create life-changing results.

So with the New Year upon us, I decided that I wanted to take what I had learned from this book and really apply that knowledge to my 2016 goals and to encourage and motivate others to have a happier and healthier 2016.  I went to Gretchen Rubin's website and downloaded many resources for essentially creating a healthy habits accountability group. My participation in health and fitness accountability groups for the last 6 months has literally been life-changing! I am now a absolute firm believer that having accountability, a support system, a group to cheer you along is a vital key to accomplishing health and fitness habits no matter what habit tendency you are. So with what I have learned from my own health and fitness accountability groups and from Better than Before. I figured creating a healthy habits group would be a great way to ring in the new year!! People want to reach certain goals and institute healthy habits, we just don't always know where to begin and how to keep it up. The vision I have for this pursuit wouldn't just entail healthy habits relating to diet and exercise, although that certainly will be a key feature, but any healthy habit one would want to master 2016.

Looking back at my 2015 New Year's Resolutions, or goals if you will, I did manage to implement and uphold most of them....surprisingly! I will talk more about that in "New Year, New YOU: Part 2!"

If you would like to join me in a "New Year, New You: Better than Before" healthy habits group, please let me know! I would love to have you join me! I would like to create a private Facebook group to do this, but also toyed around with the idea of just capitulating the information and daily tasks/tips on my blog or Facebook page "Gratefully Healthy"! I will share with you all the tips and strategies to create, lasting healthy habits. I will provide resources from Gretchen Rubin's website to guide us along the way. I am currently reading her other book the "Happiness Project" which I will incorporate aspects of that work as well as it was a year long project that starts with you guessed it..January!

PM on facebook, email me at dianacoulon11@gmail.com if interested!

The New Paperback edition 

Gratefully,
Diana

21 Day FIX...now moving FORWARD into 2016!

Its been 6 months!! Got my Fix on, and now moving FOWARD. If you read some of my past posts about my experience with Health and Fitness Challenge groups, aka "Health and Fitness Accountability Groups" as we like to call them now, then you may have seen that I started this journey almost 6 months ago! See the The Challenge Triad! and Happier and Healthier: What Health and Fitness Challenge groups did for me?

Wow, I can't believe its been 6 months already. I used to always say "I wish I had time to go to the gym or take a class", and would play my mini-violin for why I didn't have to time to do it! But then I realized I just needed to make time!! So I said "I WILL do this, its too important to me". And I have been making time ever since. So in honor of my 6 months mark of this journey, I thought I would reflect on where I am now, the two NEW programs that I have completed, and where I am headed next!

This past fall or "Autumn", I have been doing the very popular fitness program, the 21 Day Fix (21DF). In the beginning of November, I started the 21 Day Fix Extreme! I was a bit hesitant to begin the 21DF because I had recently completed Focus T25 (which is a very high-intensity, cardio/toning workout) and then literally danced around with Cize. Both are Shaun T programs that require endurance and coordination. So I knew the 21DF would probably be a new and perhaps uncomfortable experience since it required the use of weights and focused intensely on strengthening. But my goal from the beginning of this journey was primarily to strengthen and tone. Tighten it up!

These two program are INCREDIBLY effective! At least you certainly feel like they are affecting something! Autumn Calabrese gets you working your rear off. She is a motivator and driver! Much like Jillian Michaels, but not quite so intense and shout-y. What did I love about this program? Click here to check out the 21 Day Fix details and here is a Short 2 minute video for 21 Day Fix

• 30 minute workouts- Yes, every workout in both programs is 30 minutes in duration. That is about all the time I got in the morning to spare, hence why I started with T25. I have just about that much time to workout. So to get it done in 30 minutes makes me smile!
• Variety- the workouts are broken down into Cardio, Upper body, Lower body, Pilates, Yoga, Dirty 30 (which is cardio/full body strengthening workout--LOVE!), and there is also a Plyo Fix. Plyo is an intense plyometric workout (think jumping jacks and squat jumps).
• Use of simple equipment- I didn't think I would like the use of weights. But the program recommends a set of light and heavy weights. I used a 5 lbs set and an 8 lbs set. I also had a resistance band that came with my T25 pack that I used sometimes instead of the weights. I was surprised the different muscles that are worked between the two different forms of equipment. The Pilates Extreme workout utilized the resistance band the whole time, but talk about feeling like you sculpt yourself into a statue after that one! 
• Modifications/Modifiers- So almost all the workouts include a modifier doing the program at a lower intensity level. They also have a modifier for doing more advanced moves or bringing it up a level. The Yoga workout for instance shows many variations of the poses you can chose to do based on your comfort level. I also liked how they incorporated the demonstrations of using the weights and/or bands with the exercises. 
• Organization- This was certainly a feature of these two programs that I really liked! You have ROUNDS and each round is a set of 2 or 3 exercises that are repeated at least twice. One workout involves a set of 5 exercises repeated twice and there is only 2 rounds. Autumn will break it down at the beginning of each workout about how the exercises will flow. She also does a great job at demonstrating the exercise before the actual 60 sec countdown. I notice with other programs, T25/P90x/Turbo Fire they just jump right into the exercise and you spend half your time trying to figure out how to do it. This is helpful, and something to consider if you are not so quick to catching on to things or struggle with coordination. My Type A organizational-self really liked that aspect of the program. 
• Breaks and water! Yes you can catch your breath!! In 10-15 seconds you get to breathe and get a sip of water. T25 is non-stop with no real breaks. In Cize your water break doesn't come until you are almost finished the workout right before you "Cize it up" aka.... do the routine that has been choreographed to music at tempo. 
• Motivational quotes-We need those to keep us focused...eyes on the prize. And Autumn provides many of them. "You can do anything for 60 seconds", "Don't undo what you did today in the kitchen", "Life doesn't get easier, you just get stronger", and many more. 
• Color-coded Portion Control Containers- Simplified, nutrition plan that visually teaches you portion control and helps you learn how much you should be eating in a day. You are given 7 of these containers that are color coded to represent your food groups. So the green container is for your vegetables, the red is protein, the yellow is carbs, and so on. Based on your weight and activity level you fall into a bracket, if you will, indicating how many containers of each food group you can have in a day. The meal plan also has exactly what can be put in each container, and if it FITS in the container you can EAT it. So no calorie counting. You simply check off your allotted containers for the day. These container were solely part of the 21DF programs, but now they are being incorporated into almost all of the programs. They are so simple and effective that they have decided put them in most of the Beachbody Challenge packs. 

  

  Color-coded portion control containers super easy to use!

• SHAKEOLOGY- last but certainly not least, a 30-day supply of Shakeology is part of the program. Shakeology is part of all of the challenge packs (in fact THE part of most of the fitness programs). I will post more about why I love Shakeology later, but for now I just want to share with you that I have been drinking Shakeology almost daily for these last several months and I am starting to really see and feel the positive changes in my hair, skin, nails, and of course energy levels! I think this super-food drink is delicious, easy to prepare, and gives me the essential nutrients I need. It takes the guesswork out of nutrition for one meal a day. I drink it every morning after my workouts. Its my breakfast during the week, keeps me full, and provides protein, probiotics, prebiotics, multi-vitamins, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and much more in one shake that I now crave!
  

  

  I get the combinatin pack of Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry. You get a calender of many different recipes! 

So what's next on my to-do list!? For now, in our December Accountability group I am having a fantastic time sampling different workouts by streaming them off of Beachbody On Demand (BOD). BOD gives you access to 100's workouts. You can do a highlighted workout from the newer programs like the 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Piyo, Cize, Insanity Max, T25, and the new Hammer and Chisel! But you ALSO have access to the all the workouts from some of the classics like Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire, P90x3, P90x2, P90x, Insanity, and so much more. So I am fishing around and trying something new everyday. My goal in December with the holiday fanfare upon us is just to "keep it up!". I need to stay motivated to workout every single day, and I think mixing it up with some variety will do that.

Sweating after a quick-paced Turbo Fire workout

Yoga Booty Ballet and Strawberry Shakeology

NEW YEAR's, new fitness program! I plan on doing Chalene Johnson's Piyo. The combination of pilates and yoga! I have always enjoyed doing pilates and yoga. I look extremely forward to starting this workout series. I have been eyeing it for quite some time. I have been doing a 30-day PUSH challenge online series with Chalene Johnson. This is a daily, task-oriented Challenge to get you thinking about your 6-12 months goals and how to go about succeeding at those goals. I have grown to truly admire this amazingly tenacious and determined woman. 

What is PiYo?

From celebrity trainer Chalene Johnson, PiYo is a low-impact, high-intensity 60-day body transformation program. It uses the most effective pilates and yoga inspired moves set to a fast pace to help burn fat and sculpt long, lean muscles.  Carve every inch of the body without jumps, weights, or strained joints. If you have any interest in joining come January 1st, please don't hesitate to PM me through facebook or email me at dianacoulon11@gmail.com Let's make 2016 your healthiest year yet! I will also be utilizing resources and daily motivational tips to help incorporate healthy habits and making them stick for long-term success! UPDATE (12/20/15): Since I wrote this last blog post, I have decided to do the new Beachbody program Hammer and Chisel at the start of 2016. I do still certainly plan on doing PiYo, but many people in our accountability team are trying out the new program so I think it will be fun to have the accountability and encouragement with us committed to doing it together! This is designed to be a duo program that you and your significant other can do together. I don't know if I will get my to join it, but there is always hope, right?  The NEW Hammer and Chisel! Gratefully, Diana

C-Sit-ups....Tales of the Tailbone

C-sit ups and the Tales of a Tortured Tailbone!

Yes this is a story about Fitness, but its also about my poor tortured tailbone and that it has never been quite the same! As I began my journey with the 21 Day Fix, I initially did not like the Pilates workout. Which struck me as odd considering I have always loved Pilates and yoga. Some of the positions and exercises in the 21 Day Fix program were different to me, and I absolutely despised the C-sit ups! About mid-way through the 30-minute workout is a C-series of these C-sit ups. Basically it requires sitting down and contracting forward and back to work the abdominals, and there are alternatives to work different abdominal muscles. I did not like this exercise at all! The pressure on my tail bone was terrible!! I thought I can't do this, and was so bummed because I thought I would now always dread doing the Pilates workout throughtout the program.

Its not that I am bony, and have no cushion to support my tail bone, no it goes beyond that! It goes back 3 years ago when I was in excruciatingly painful labor with my first child. I was induced into labor in the wee hours of the morning, like 3:30am morning! The oxytocin was getting those contractions in gear. I don’t have a high pain tolerance, so I was like bring on the drugs! I had a contraction right as the anesthesiologist was administering the epidural. They told me the epidural would be kicking in soon and to hold tight. I held tight…I held tighter….I whined…..I screamed….the epidural clearly had not worked. So they came in and tried to pump me with more drugs in order to ease the pain, but at that time I was starting to dilate to the “Push Point”. There I was scared, painful, pushing, and wondering why the heck the nurses had these concerned looks on their faces. I kept pushing and pushing to no prevail. My doctor comes in….pokes around to investigate the situation. There was a bit of problem.

My baby was essentially stuck in the birth canal, although he was doing fine, he would not be born without “intervention”. Ok, so what’s the problem doc? The problem is “you have the most protruding tail bone that I think I have ever observed”……what!?! I have a freaking tail that is preventing my baby from being born! That is what was reeling through my mind. So the doctor says that I must make the decision to have a c-section, or he could fracture the tail bone so that he can loosen it and move it out the way so the baby could slide on through..........deep breath....... Ok, so let me paint the picture of this scenario: First child birth, painful labor, crying in pain, epidural fail, completely exhausted, concerned doctor, discovery of vestigial tail, and now while doped up on pain medication the doctor asks me if I would prefer a surgery I was not prepared for or he could break my tail bone in two so that my child can be born???

He pats my shoulder and kindly says “I will give you a few minutes to think about it” and leaves the room! Now don’t get me wrong I really do like my doctor a great deal, and appreciated his care throughout the pregnancy, but at that moment I wanted to throw all monitoring equipment at him, have him hand cuffed and arrested, have his license revoked to practice medicine, and finally punch his face! So I looked at my husband with tear-streaked, wild-wide eyes, dilated pupils and a grimace of confusion “What do I do!?!”. Well, thank God for nurses. They deserve a special place in heaven! The two sweet and comforting nurses explained to me that a c-section would be fine with a bit longer recovery time than I had planned, but honestly having the tail bone broken would likely only entail that I push one or two more times and the baby would come on through easily. So I said the quickest prayer in order to get some type of confirmation from God, and in my blurry confusion and disarray chose the tail bone fracture approach. They wheeled me to the OR and prepped for surgery just in case a c-section would be needed. After that things were quite foggy, and I don’t remember details. Although I do recall seeing orthopedic instruments that resembled a hammer and chisel set and the doctor pounding down to fracture my tail. One more push, and just like that a baby was born! My next thought was “Wow, there really was a baby in there!”. Like most first time mothers, I was overwhelmed with emotion! And then had to sit on a donut for the next 4 weeks. So I was not only recovering from child birth, but also with a fractured tail bone to heal.

So what in the heck does all that have to do with pilates C-cit ups!?! Well, to this day if I sit on a hard surface or put pressure on my tail bone, it still is very bothersome, really almost painful! The fact that when I started the program, I could not get through that exercise series because it hurt my tail bone so bad. But (there is a butt:)) with time and gaining a stronger core throughout the program. I now can use the strength in my abdominal muscles that strengthens my ability to pulls up and put less pressure on my tail bone. I have truly felt a difference from feeling like dead weight (pressure on tail bone) to feeling so much stronger in my core. This helps me to hold my body weight up! I couldn’t get over the difference in 3 weeks. Now I can do that set of exercises much more comfortably as well as other more advanced C-sit up exercises in the 21 Day Fix Extreme which utilizes a resistance band. 

So is this a blog post to promote a fitness program? Yes….and no. While I do love the 21 Day Fix and think its an amazing and effective program. This is also about pushing yourself to get through those exercises or any fitness program/training you are undertaking that.....hurt! Keep going at it, stay consistent, and you will get stronger. They will become easier, and you will master them and only continue to get and feel better. Its not a magic bullet approach or instant gratification deal here. It takes doing it everyday. Even if you can only do 10 or 20 minutes. Every little bit helps! I did not have a great and mind-blowing weight loss transformation with these fitness programs, but for me it has been more a transformation about feeling better physically, mentally, emotionally, and feeling stronger! My tail bone is thanking me too!

Gratefully, Diana

The Challenge Triad!

So what's a Beachbody Challenge group...its a Triad of Teamwork that focuses on Fitness, Nutrition, and Support. 

I began my Beachbody Challenge group journey when I was contacted by a veterinary classmate of mine this past June to join in on one. She was offering this great opportunity to reconnect with veterinary classmates in a health and fitness challenge group. When I found out how it would work I thought "this sounds pretty cool, I NEED to start exercising again.....routinely!" and I knew I needed motivation and support. So I was brought in to the Challenge!! And have continued doing them ever since....new challenges start every 30 days and you become a quasi-fitness family. You connect through social media, a exclusive Facebook private group. So you connect and check-in everyday for accountability, support, tips, recipes, motivation, etc, etc!

So how does one participate in these groups?

To join a challenge group you...first of all take the step to commit! You can purchase a Beachbody Challenge Pack. This is an AWESOME  bundle deal that includes:

• Fitness: choose one of Beachbody's highly effective and best-selling fitness programs based on what you enjoy doing for exercise and what you think will help you reach your personal health and fitness goals. Again many to choose, and we can work on finding the right on for you. I have done T25, Cize, and doing 21 Day Fix, next on list is PiYo! (more detail below so keep reading!)
• Beachbody On Demand: purchasing a pack also gives you a free month-trial membership to the the Beachbody OnDemand streaming website. This gives you online access to 100’s of workouts plus the program you purchase with the challenge pack, so you can have a workout instantly on your phone, tablet, or laptop!
• Shakeology (YUM!), the pack also comes with a month’s worth supply of the nutrient-packed, superfood shake, Shakeology. This is a critical tool to use for the best results with your program! Shakeology is a delicious shake mix that has 17 grams of protein, multi-vitamins, antioxidants, pre-biotics, pro-biotics, phytonutrients, and so much more! It is a nutrient-dense tool to incorporate in your journey for the most effective results. It has certainly helped satisfy my sweet tooth. I have a Shakeology addiction to nutrition! I blend it with almond milk (can use regular milk or other alternative milk and water), fruit, almond/peanut butter, oats, etc. There are SO MANY recipes to have a different shake everyday. It also hides those veggies you need to include in your diet like spinach, kale, avocados. It satisfies my sweet tooth and gives me ENERGY!
• Shaker cup and calendar of Shakeology recipes to give you a new shake everyday!
• Nutrition Guides: All packs come with clean eating meal plans and recipes. The 21 Day Fix again has a significant emphasis on whole-food, clean eating and learning portion control. No counting calories! You get the color-coded portion control containers with the 21 Day Fix program, too! These help you understand how much you should really be eating each day.
• Support: ***Challenge Group Support: the game changer! You get access to a private online support group. This is one of the best parts about the challenge packs is that you get to join this support group that is there to encourage and motivate you everyday!! We have contact daily through Facebook to motivate you along your journey. 
• Coach: me as your personal coach to cheer you on!

So What am I doing now?

21 Day Fix: Now I am doing the 21 Day Fix program. This great program incorporates a variety of workouts, and it has a significant emphasis on clean eating and portion control. So those of you wanting guidance and help with nutrition and learning more about clean eating, this would be a great program! You can actually go on to the 21 Day Fix Extreme once you finish the first program to continue your progress. There is also the brand new Fixate cookbook, with delicious recipes that fit in nicely to stay on track with the program. You get 6 easy- to -follow workouts on 2 DVDS including an Upper Fix, Lower Fix, Total Body Cardio, Cardio workout, Pilates, Yoga, and two bonus workouts the Dirty 30 and 10-minute abs. There is also a modifier to help you pace the workouts while you build up your strength, flexibility, and endurance.

Get in the Fix: 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack

So what have I done so far? 

Focus T25: FOCUSED ON GETTING FIT! I started out doing Shaun T's Focus T25 because it is 25 minute workouts, and I wanted to start out realistically. Trying to commit to daily hour-long workouts would not have been a realistic way to reach my goals for exercising daily. T25 was tough, but it whips you into shape! Its high impact and there is quite a bit of jump routines like jumping jacks, high knee jogs, burpees, etc. There is an alpha phase first to build your strength up, and then you progress to the Beta phase (there is also a gamma phase sold separately if still want to continue on..) I would caution people with past hip, knee, and ankle injuries with this program. However, there is a modifier to demonstrate the low-impact alternative.

Program includes 10 high-intensity workouts including The Alpha series to build your foundation with Cardio (whew!), Speed 1.0, Total Body Circuit, Ab Intervals, and Lower Focus. The Beta series turns it up quite a notch with a Core Cardio, Speed 2.0, Rip't Circuit (my fav!), Dynamic Core, and Upper Focus.

Check it out: Focus T25 Challenge Pack

CIZE: Cized it Up! I then went on to Shaun T's brand new Cize dance program. Hip Hop style dancing that was so much fun. Morning exercise was now becoming a routine! I had worked so hard doing T25, that I just wanted something with a new spin on fitness and something fun to keep me motivated to continue working out.  See My Story.

Cize includes 6 dance routines including the Crazy 8's (35 min, learning hip hop moves with Hands In the Air by Timbaland, You Got This with Bruno Mars, Full Out (my fav!) with a Lose My Breath by Destiny's Child, In The Pocket choreographed to Problem by Ariana Grande, Go For It (my other fav!!), and the last routine changes things up with a very stylized and emotional routine Living in the 8s which is to Chandelier by Sia.
Get dancing: Cize Challenge Pack

What do I plan on doing Next?

Next I plan on continuing the 21 Day Fix by doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme!

After completing that I have my eyes set on PiYo! The plates/yoga fusion fitness program. I love pilates and yoga so I am very pumped to get to this one soon. But first I got to get my Fix on!

Are you ready to take the CHALLENGE! Email me at dianacoulon11@gmail.com or call 225-603-8495! Also check out my Page on this blog site and my beachbody page for more information: http://www.teambeachbody.com/dianacoulon11

Have a truly blessed day my friends, 

Diana

Happier and Healthier: What Health and Fitness accountability groups did for me?

I took a challenge.....a chance to better myself....and never felt better!

So I wanted to share with you all what Beachbody health and fitness challenge groups have done for me, what inspired me to create my Facebook page/blog “Gratefully Healthy”, and why I would love for you to join me! I am full-time working mom that commutes 45 minutes (or longer) to and from work, 5 days a week. I am a compliance veterinarian and work in research for the LSU AgCenter. The commute to LSU's main campus can be ROUGH, but I do get to work on the beautiful campus with its gorgeous live oak trees and lakes as well as visit Mike the Tiger at any time! I have two young children, Kaleb, 3, and Kora is 2. They are my world, but between raising them and working, finding time to exercise was very difficult. I tried figuring out how I could strategically make it to different exercise classes or the gym during my busy day. I thought maybe I could squeeeeze it in ........before I get to work...at lunch...maybe at night after kids go to bed. There had to be some time! I am a morning person 100%. When I was in veterinary school I use to wake up and study before classes! I knew when I would be the most focused, and it just so happen to be bright and early with the birds. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed as the saying goes....that was me! So how was I going to accomplish making exercise a priority again? Before I had children and a commute to work, I exercised regularly and mostly in the mornings. Not finding a way to routinely exercise was truly making me feel depressed. I felt moody, impatient, and frustrated that I couldn't do something that was so vital to my well-being. Health and fitness have always been so very important to me. I knew I needed it in my life, that my body deserved it, and it was imperative that I figure out how to do it. Read about one of my biggest "Whys" for healthy living!

Out of the blue one day, a past veterinary classmate of mine contacted me about joining a health and fitness challenge group that she was putting together with some of our past veterinary classmates. I was skeptical?! I had tried fitness challenge groups at work, and just could never get very involved in them. We had weekly check-ins, but mostly was own our own. However, I knew I needed the support of a group. I needed "fitness friends". So I told my classmate “Sure, I’m in!” and participated in the challenge group. I literally loved it within the first week! These are coach-led, 30-day challenge groups that are done all through a facebook private group utilizing Beachbody fitness programs. The group commits to doing a Beachbody fitness program, drinking Shakeology daily, and checking in daily with the group. Everyday you receive posts from your coach, usually first thing in the morning, providing motivation, health and fitness tips, recipe ideas, encouragement, and accountability.

So the challenge was on, I started out doing Shaun T's Focus T25 because it is 25 minute workouts, and I wanted to start out realistically. Attempting to do hour long workouts daily would not have been a realistic way to reach my goals for committing to exercising again. T25 was tough, but it whips you into shape! Honestly, I felt like I was getting in the best shape of my life. I then went on to Shaun T's brand new Cize dance program. Morning exercise was now becoming a routine! I had worked so hard doing T25, that I just wanted something with a new spin on fitness and something fun to keep me motivated to continue working out. I LOVED doing this program! I use to dance so I rocked it out like nobody was watching, well most mornings it was my dog, Bocephus, or my son. They were a supportive audience. Kaleb got up and danced with me on occasion too. Cize it up! Watch this video about dancing into fitness!

I also was introduced to Shakeology, my new addiction for nutrition! What's Shakeology? This is great tool to incorporate in your health and fitness journey that takes the guess work out of nutrition. It has 17 grams of protein, multi-vitamins, pre- and probiotics, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and much much more! I love it, and it gives me energy as well as helps with my ever present sweet tooth! I blend it up for breakfast after my morning workouts. You don't have to do any type of cleanse or take pills.  I don't want to take any type of pill if I don't have to! If I can get all the extra nutrition and supplements I may need in a delicious shake, I'm cool with that! Click here to learn more about Shakeology!

Also to further share some insight with you, I have been doing nutrition studies the last 3 years at LSU with a molecular nutritionist. I have been astonished about how important prebiotics and probiotics are to our gut health and really entire overall health! My colleague at LSU is one of the leaders in the research field of prebiotics and microbial gut health. We study how prebiotics have significant health effects including lowering body fat and improving insulin sensitivity (i.e. help prevent diabetes). Probiotics are the actual bacteria, like you get from yogurts like Activia; and prebiotics are the fiber sources that feed the gut bacteria to keep them alive and functioning. That's why you are told to get in more fiber in your diet! You live in harmony with these good bacteria to help be the healthiest you can in terms of weight, mental health, metabolic balance, and so much more. The power of the "bugs" in our gut amazes me. Shakeology includes pre- and probiotics and so many natural ingredients.

I have always been interested in health and fitness. It’s been an untapped passion of mine for so long that it is finally bursting out of me! That's why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach, I want to share these experiences with you and further develop my passion. I want build relationships with people and help work towards reaching health and fitness goals together. Challenge groups not only helped me physically, but mentally and emotionally. I don’t have a dramatic and impressive weight loss story or amazing before and after pictures that reveal a glorious physical transformation. However, if I could take before and after pictures of my mind or psychological state, there would quite a difference between the start of this journey and where I am now. I have become more positive, cheerful, motivated, accomplished, and well…..happier. I have felt even my relationship with my husband grow stronger, as we have been on this journey together and encouraged each other along. I also want to be the best role model for my kids by showing them how profoundly important it is to stay active, eat healthy, nutritious foods, and take good care of our bodies.

I used to a lead a life of very negative thinking and had almost zilch self-confidence. In veterinary school while in clinics, my evaluations after a rotation used to said "you need more confidence"! I feel like I appreciate who I am now in this world and whom God created me to be. Even if I don't have all the answers and don't have the perfect body. I am not aiming for perfection, I am aiming for progression! I am more confident in my abilities, and my hope is to strengthen you as well whether it be in nutrition, fitness, faith, or loving yourself.

Join me on this journey to live happy, healthy, and whole.
We can do it together!

My husband Dusty and I

PM on facebook, or email it at dianacoulon11@gmail.com.
http://www.teambeachbody.com/dianacoulon11

Have a blessed day!

Gratefully, 

Diana