Do you sleep 8 hours but wake up groggy? Are you perpetually grumpy? Do you crave sugar? Are you gaining weight even though you’re exercising regularly? Is your cholesterol through the roof even though you think you’re eating right?

If this sounds a typical day for you, your body may be overloaded with toxins. Toxins that are causing you to gain weight, feel fatigued, and crave all the wrong foods. How did this happen?

1. You have a hard time losing weight.
Possible Cause: In modern society, toxic chemicals are everywhere. They’re in the processed food you eat, the plastics you handle, the cigarette smoke you breathe in, and more. Some of these pollutants may trigger disruptions in the body’s endocrine system and this can cause you to gain weight.

Solutions: The harsh truth is that ridding your world of all toxic chemicals and pollutants is nearly impossible. But, you do have some control. Choose to eat more whole foods. Package and reheat your foods in glass instead of plastic. Stop smoking. These solutions do require some effort, but once you start to see the numbers on the scale go down, you’ll feel rewarded for it.

2. You’re always tired.
Possible Causes: Toxic chemicals in the environment and in the foods you eat could be the culprits here too. If you’ve been feeling severe fatigue for more than six months, you could have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Other symptoms may include forgetfulness, joint pain, irritability, depression, and achy muscles. Another possible cause for your exhaustion could be mercury poisoning if you eat a lot of fish or shellfish or have mercury fillings in your teeth.

Solutions: Once again, you’re not going to be able to avoid all toxic chemicals, but you can stop smoking, choose glass and other products over plastic, and eat less processed food. If, your doctor determines that you have mercury poisoning, steer clear of fish and shellfish for some time and have any mercury filings replaced with a non-toxic alternative.

3. Your cholesterol is too high.
Possible Causes: If you are overweight or obese, your weight is one cause for your high cholesterol. Obesity can decrease your HDL (good cholesterol) numbers and increase your triglyceride numbers. Triglycerides are particularly dangerous as they can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. If you are in good shape, your high cholesterol may be due to certain medications such as beta-blockers, estrogen, and corticosteroids.

Solutions: To put it simply: lose weight. If that’s not an issue but you can’t ditch the medications that are causing your elevated cholesterol levels, eat foods–such as oatmeal, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and halibut, nuts, and olive oil–that can help you in your battle against those numbers.

4. You crave coffee, sugar, or junk food.
Possible Causes: The foods themselves. When you eat caffeine, sugar, and other unhealthy foods, they often cause your serotonin and/or your sugar levels to spike…and then sink to lower than they were before you ingested that food. Talk about creating an unhealthy cycle!

Solution: Kick your junk food habits. Expect a withdrawal period during which you’ll be cranky, have headaches, and feel fatigued, but this will likely subside within a day or a few days.

5. You’re grumpy.
Possible Causes: Likely, your irritability is caused by a combination of the environmental and food toxins that might be causing your other issues as studies have revealed that chronic exposure to low levels of environmental toxins can lead to depression, anxiety, and mood swings.

Solution: The best way to feel better is to eat better, lose weight, exercise (it boosts the serotonin levels in your brain that help keep you happy), and make smarter decisions when it comes to what chemicals your exposure yourself to.

Admittedly, making major changes to your lifestyle is difficult. But, we also want you to feel healthier and happier. That’s why we recently launched the Beachbody Ultimate Reset. It’s a 21-day program that will help you curb your cravings, lower your cholesterol, feel more well rested, and more. Isn’t it time to stop feeling toxic and start feeling better?

Day 6 dawned this morning bright and glorious! And, no, I’m not being overdramatic. When I realized that my headache was gone this morning, nothing could bring me down. Not even stepping on the scale a day early. I headed downstairs to push the kids to get ready, took my supplements, and stepped on the dreaded monster in my bathroom. As I waited for the numbers to stop, I almost closed my eyes. Instead they stopped – LOWER by 2.5 lbs!!! Not only have I lost the 3 lbs of water weight I gained from the pizza plus another 2.5 for a total of 5.5 lbs in 6 days. I was practically dancing for joy!

And then I remembered what I got to have for breakfast – baked tempeh, 1/8 of an avocado, 1 slice of toast and spinach. None of it sounded particularly tantalizing but I figured rather than eat it all seperately, I’d make it into a 1/2 sandwich of sorts. I still wasn’t too thrilled until I took a bite. It was actually REALLY good!

Bryun, Austin and I had a bunch of errancs to run so I packed up my supplements and lunch and headed out the door. We got about 15 min away when I realized that I must still have the brain fog because I forgot everything sitting on the counter and had to make Bryun drive back for it. *sigh* The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. We ran our errands (forgot to take a picture of lunch but it was the quinoa salad I had last a couple nights ago and raw veggies with hummus), did the grocery shopping for next week and headed home just in time for Alkalinize.

I have to say, I’m actually getting used to it. I’m not saying it tastes good but it’s not as bad as it was. It’s tolerable, especially with some lemon. I didn’t even bother to put my groceries away. I just started making the meals for next week. I have to say that most of the Week 2 meals are less time consuming than Week 1. There were a couple that needed a bit of prep work but for the most part, they are easier.

Dinner tonight was good. Miso soup, stir fry veggies and rice but this time I made it for the entire family. Bryun wanted to try it but he just added some meat for him and the kids. It was a very simple solution, other than my fifteen year old daughter complaining about having to eat her vegetables. And I was able to get through the entire day without the snack. Basically, today was a good day.

I was not happy this morning. I woke at 4:30 a.m. with my head absolutely pounding at the base of my skull. Not only had I had a vivid nightmare but I couldn’t shake the headache that had come the night before. I knew that not having any side effects of the Reset had to be too good to be true. I’d heard plenty of stories from others who’d suffered the headaches on days 1, 2 and 3 so I knew one of the keys was to drink even more water today. It might be difficult since I was already drinking 1.5 gallons/day.

Breakfast today was good. I’ve never had farina (rice cereal) and it was a bit like cream of wheat. It wasn’t as much food as the past few days but I still wasn’t really hungry. Maybe because of the headache? But I found that it did help a little bit with the headache as well.

The headache today basically overpowered everything. I was simply awful, like a migraine at the base of my skull. No amount of water seemed to help alleviate it. Bryun was sweet enough to offer to take Kassie to school for me, which was great because I didn’t think I could drive, and I headed upstairs to see if a warm bath helped. It helped a bit but what really helped was the nap I took immediately following. I couldn’t believe that I actually slept for 2.5 hours! I never take naps so this was AWESOME! Lunch was the same salad I’ve been having but this time paired with a quinoa salad. I’m not usually a big fan of quinoa as I don’t like the texture of it (althought I do like the flavor) but this salad was really good.

After running some errands and heading to the store to pick up most of next week’s supplies, which barely cost anything this time around, I headed home to fix dinner. I wasn’t thrilled about having beets. Mostly because the only time I’ve ever had beets was with the stupid “Ice Cream & Hot Dog” diet that I tried about 15 years ago (yes, I really did try it!). I hated the taste of beets then and even the smell of them was enough to make me want to gag. That being said, I poured the beets, yams, carrots and onions into the pan and put it in to cook, all the while, dreading and assuming that I would forgo the beets. I took my first bite of the root medley and was shocked. It was delicious! Even the beets! Even the millet was yummy, although Bryun did tease me that I’ve finally crossed over and I’m now really eating birdfood.

So, as I head upstairs to do the video for tonight, I am still fighting this headache. I’ve had over 245 oz of water so far today (and before everyone has a fit, you can NOT have too much water as long as you use the bathroom. Especially when you consider that this water has added minerals which help stablize electrolytes) which has helped to subdue it a bit. It’s moved from the base of my skull to the top of my head but I also know that this is simply a part of my body getting rid of the toxins it’s been holding onto for years. I’m happy with that because it means the Reset is working.

Day 4 started off pretty good. I woke with plenty of energy, feeling great. Breakfast was really good. I’d been looking forward to having a fresh fruit plate all week so I loved loading up my plate with some super-sweet honeydew melon, cantaloupe, fresh strawberries, blackberries and blueberries topped off with some good kiwi.

Bryun and I headed to the park with the dogs. Chance was desperate to run around and I just wanted to hang out in the sunshine. I realized that while everyone around me was complaining about the heat, I was actually a bit chilly. I’d heard that this could be a side effect but I really hadn’t expected it to be something I dealt with. Either way, it’s pretty minor for a side effect so it wasn’t bothersome. Plus, if it kept me comfortable while everyone else was dying in 90 degree heat, I was all for the comfort.

Lunch was good. I love the sushi and the salad, with all it’s raw veggies is something that I’m definately getting used to. I like it better with the seeds and nuts but without is okay too. The lentil salad is my least favorite of all the meals so far but after adding a little extra lime and cumin, it was better. But, it was just too much food in one sitting. I actually gave Bryun the rest of my lunch because I just couldn’t finish it.

By dinner time, I noticed my head felt heavy. It felt like it weighed a ton and my neck, right at the base of my skull, was sore. Since I have a ton of hair, I thought maybe it was just heavy on my neck. Within an hour or so, the heaviness progressed to a full blown headache at the base of my skull. I headed to bed right away and was asleep before Bryun even turned off the light. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to even make a video last night, my head was pounding too bad. Sorry but you’ll have one for tomorrow!

I actually LOVED Day 3! The food was delicious. Breakfast was the same as Day 1 so I was happy with that. Then, since it was Mother’s Day, my wonderful husband took me out to see The Raven (I’ve been dying to see it). I worried that the smell of popcorn, or being around all those candy and goodies would be difficult but I barely even noticed it. I did sneak some of my Mineralized water into the theater (shhh, don’t tell!)

We had to run a couple of errands so I hurried home to take my supplements before running back out again. I have noticed that this, so far, has been the most difficult part of the Reset for me – timing the supplements. Because each one has to be at least 2 hours AFTER the last meal and at least 30 min prior to eating I feel like I’m either taking a supplement, preparing a meal or counting down when to take them again. So far, my prep workout prior to starting has really helped me out and my cooking/prep time is pretty minimal. And, the 30 min after taking the supplements is a great time to get my meal together.

After our errands, we came home, had lunch and just vegged around the house. It worked well for me because I was actually feeling a bit run down today. Not super-tired but a little. In fact, enough that, had this been a normal day, I would have dreaded working out and tried to talk myself out of it. So I was happy that there are no workouts allowed on the Ultimate Reset. I’ve actually been using that time each day to spend some time relaxing, playing at the park with the dogs and just enjoying life.

After another movie on the couch, we got dinner ready, which for me simply consisted of heating up the food. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this meal. This is going to be one that lasts in our house for a long time. I have to admit that I’m a bit worried because today is the last day with animal protein. Beginning tomorrow I only eat vegan other than two 1/2 cup servings of organic yogurt (day 4 and day 7).

Other than being a bit tired today, I have felt completely fine. I know a lot of people are complaining about headaches and muscle aches but I’m not having any of these side effects. I don’t think that I ate super-clean prior to starting the Reset and I’m sure that weaning off of coffee about 10 days prior to starting helped but I worry that when the side effects hit, they are going to be bad. But until they do, I’m going to enjoy every second of feeling great!

Was up and rearing to go this morning at 4:30 a.m. I’d have liked to sleep in a bit longer (6 a.m. would have been nice!) but I did get a full 6 hours sleep and it was the sore throat that woke me, not anything related to the Reset. Got up and had my water and morning supplements before starting my breakfast. Today’s is going to take longer to cook since it’s Steel Cut Oats for me (they take about 30 min). It calls for oatmeal and I wanted to try to go for as little processing as possible which is why I elected NOT to have quick cook oatmeal. Anyway, that said, I did miss not adding any dairy, butter or Stevia to my oatmeal. So I enjoyed the blueberries in it more than usual since that was the only thing to sweeten it up. I also don’t really care for the yogurt I bought from Trader Joe’s (bought plain instead of vanilla and it’s tart!) so just had the greek yogurt I already had on hand.

On a good note, I got on the scale this morning, out of curiousity, and found that I’d already lost 3 lbs. Keep in mind, because of all the cooking I’d done to prepare, my pre-Reset meal was pizza. While it’s true I hadn’t eaten anything all all that day, I know that pizza will make me retain water like crazy no matter what and I was up 3 lbs when I took my weight the next morning. So I’m not certain that this 3 lbs wouldn’t have come off anyway in the next few days but to see all the retained water off in one day is nice. It basically put me back to my pre-pizza weight.

Not long later, it was off to visit my Mother-in-law for an early Mother’s Day. I made sure to pack everything to eat and take it with me along with my supplements. I found that while I was out, moving around and distracted, I really wasn’t hungry. I’d planned on having a snack around 1:30 (instead of lunch which I was pushing later) but never did eat it. Instead, at 2, I took my Alkalininze (YUCK!…Used too much water and it made it into 2 1/2 shots so I tasted every bit of it!) and as soon as I arrived at my Mom’s, I had lunch (2:45). Then a few hours later (after the afternoon supplements) we had dinner.

Oh my goodness, dinner was a ton of food!!! A sushi roll (10 pieces), a tupperware bowl of cucumber salad and a bowl of miso soup. It was absolutely delicious and I loved every bite but had to really slow down to eat because of the amount of food. Not to mention that we were visiting. After dinner, the family busted out the cheesecake for dessert. Now, I’m not a huge cheesecake fan but I do enjoy it. Not to mention the Oreo cookies my nephew was eating (which used to be my big downfall). But I didn’t cave. I THOUGHT about caving a few times. But when I really stopped and asked myself if I really wanted to have even a taste, I realized that I didn’t.

When we got home, I was feeling really bloated (after that much seaweed, I think) and tired. I need to start checking my blood sugar while doing this. It’s more grains than I’m used to having and I’m curious to see if it’s that or just the toxins being released that it causing my tiredness. I decided to do a dry skin brushing before hopping in a very hot tub. I was shocked to realize how sensitive my skin felt. Once I hit the hot water, and tried to do some deep breathing, I found myself getting anxious and it was hard to relax. I persisted and finally was able to enjoy an almost sauna-like soak. After making my video (down below), I headed downstairs with the kids. Feeling a little hungry, not starving but a bit peckish (as my grandmother would say), I had a green apple and 1 tbsp of peanut butter. When I headed back up, I was surprised that the back of my legs were sore. Not really bad, but a little and a bit weak feeling, like I’d just finished one of my Les Mills workouts full of squats. It wasn’t long before bed called and I submitted.

So far, so good…as I said yesterday, my Day 1 was off to a rough start when I woke at 12 a.m. with my throat on FIRE! After gargling salt water (which is ok on the Reset), I was able to get back to bed around 3 a.m. I was able to sleep until 6 a.m. but it was definately not enough sleep. On rising, I immediately took my supplements and began to make breakfast. It was A LOT of food. My breakfast lately has consisted of eggs and (maybe) some bell peppers. If I am really hungry, I might have a piece of toast. This was almost double the amount of food I’m used to but I figured I’d better eat it all in case I ended up hungry before lunch. With breakfast, I realized that I had definately done the right thing this past week by eliminating caffeine.

That's herbal tea, not coffee



Tip 1 – Before you begin the Reset, take a week or two to wean yourself off of caffeine slowly. Begin with half-caff coffee and lowering any caffeinated drink consumption, then alternate days with no caffeine before eliminating it all together for a couple days prior to your Reset start date.

Bryun and I had a few errands to run (Mother’s Day cards to pick out) but it was almost time for my second round of supplements (about 10:30 a.m.) so we slowed down a bit and waited for me to take them before leaving. Had I not had the reminder on my phone, I probably would have forgotten them. After running our errands, we realized we had a couple more placed we needed to go but it was time for me to eat (according to my phone). Luckily, we were able to run home, have lunch and then rush back out again.

This salad is HUGE!



Tip 2 – Set reminders on your phone of the times you need to take your supplements. They need to be taken at least 30 min before each meal/snack so planning is a must.

Tip 3 – Try to prepare as many of the meals before starting as you can. Several of the meals repeat so look ahead and make extra or make the entire week’s menu just before your start date. Be sure to stock up on enough plastic containers and baggies as you can.

I will say, Alkalinize (my afternoon supplement) is not my favorite. I had already heard from may others that this was one of those that few liked and most gagged on. It wasn’t anything to gag on, really. It looked like juiced grass and smelled just like the alfalfa I feed my horse. (Perhaps because it has several grasses and alfalfa in it?) I took my first small taste and it wasn’t too bad, until the aftertaste hit my tongue. YUCK! I decided to follow the advice of others who had already been through this. I grabbed my Himalayan salt and a slice of lemon and down it went, just like a tequila shot (not that I’ve ever had one LOL). Lick the salt off my hand, throw back the Alkalinize (from a shot glass) and suck on the lemon. Didn’t taste a thing.

Tip 4 – If you don’t like the taste of the Alkalinize, make it in a shaker cup with 2 oz water. Use Himalayan salt to kill the taste before taking it in a shot glass then chase it with a slice of lemon. You won’t even taste it.

Lunch had been a very large salad, approximately 3-4 cups however within just a few hours, I was feeling hungry again. There was no way I was going to make it until dinner. I’d wanted to try not to have the snacks if possible but since the snacks are allowed and I’d survived walking through Costco at lunchtime with all of the yummy samples (without even thinking about giving in), I allowed myself to have some berries and yogurt. So far, all of the food has been good. Nothing I wouldn’t normally have or too far of a stretch for any healthy diet.

Dinner tonight is more of the same (salmon, baby potatoes and asparagus). I have to say, whether it’s because of not having caffeine withdrawls or being sick with tonsilitis, I am feeling pretty good. At least much better than I expected to feel. I’ve seen enough people going through this to know to expect a headache in the coming days and am just waiting for the body aches tomorrow and Sunday. But so far, I was able to take the dogs for a long, easy stroll this morning and played with them at the park a little. I’m actually enjoying this so far. The main things I’ve noticed is that I need to slow down my eating. I’m not chewing my food as much as inhaling it. That plus the need to take deep breaths. I’ve noticed that I’m drinking far more water than they recommend. I usually drink a lot of water anyway (almost a gallon a day) but I’d already drank my gallon just after lunch and started on #2. I think tonight I might use the suggestion of dry-brushing my skin before taking a soak in the tub.

Tip 5 – Drink when you’re thirsty. As you body starts to get rid of toxins, it needs water to help it do that. You will start to adjust and normalize but buy extra distilled water at first to have on hand in case you need it.

Now that’s my kind of program…Relax today, eat good food, take a long bath and get as much sleep as possible.

I’ve been fighting a sore throat for the last 9 days. The doctor seems to think it’s related to allergies but I’m not convinced. It’s been pretty painful and actually woke me this morning at 12 a.m. Not the way I wanted to start my Reset today. I see a nap on the near horizon today.

So to give some info about how I feel about my health before starting – I’d consider myself healthy with some bad habits I’d like to get under control. I do have some digestive issues (gluten intolerance, bloating, retain a lot of water easily) that I’d like to see get under control if not disappear completely. Even with the gluten intolerance, I will be following the Reset meal plan exactly to see if the wheat & grains included affect me negatively. Since digestion tends to affect bowel function, we will leave this with saying I am regular but have been drinking Shakeology regularly for over 2 years. As far as energy level (prior to coming off of my prescription meds this week) I’d rate at a 7-8 out of 10 in the morning and waning over the course of the day to a 4-5 in the evening, but I feel this could be much better with a consistenly clean diet.

I am a coffee drinker and will use caffeine (diet soda, iced coffee) or sugar to get me through the day and find I often skip meals, especially lately. I have my coffee, get busy and forget to eat. I go through bouts of insomnia where I will not be able to sleep, even though I’m tired, and the little sleep I get is restless. Then I find myself so exhausted after a week or so of this that I sleep nonstop for a few days. It’s a difficult cycle that I’d like to break and I’m hoping that the Reset will help with that as well.

I would say that my complexion could look better. I suffer from occasional breakouts, usually related to my workouts and sweating and try to make sure my face is washed right away. However, my breakouts center on a couple specific areas (chin & forehead). I don’t get headaches a lot but when I do they are monsters, usually related to sinus or allergy issues. My breathing tends to be shallow and I find myself taking deep breaths because I feel like I’m not getting enough air at times. I absolutely do NOT feel alert and focused, in fact, I feel the complete opposite. I feel scattered in every direction, lose train of thought often and am constantly misplacing things. If the Reset can help me with this, I will be estatic!

I decided to do the Ultimate Reset now, before Summer, because I’m struggling to keep my weight off, even after years of healthy eating and exercise. I am tired of my metabolism being shot from years (when I was younger) of yo-yo dieting. I (and my doctor) know that it is NOT normal to have a body temperature that is consistently at 95.6-96.8 and my metabolism needs, in my doctor’s words, “a reboot.” During the Summer, we tend to camp a lot and I didn’t want to try this then but I’m hoping it will control my eating enough that camp food will be healthier this year. I hope to gain more conscious control over my food choices again (quit just grabbing food in passing, eating without thinking), gain control over my cravings and blood sugar again, as well as getting my metabolism back on track naturally. Any weight loss I have (which is mostly water and toxins released) will be an added plus. I also hope to continue some of my good habits like drinking a lot of water and maintaining daily exercise (although during the Reset, it will be quiet walks with the dogs and stretching).

So really, that’s my Pre-Day 1 so far…I’m sure things will change as I take the supplements today. I’ve heard that the Oxygenize can cause headaches due to the influx of oxygen (not looking forward to that) but I’ve also heard them called the “Happy Drops” (looking forward to that!) I’ve heard a few different things about the Alkalinize and while I’m looking forward to its benefits, I’m not looking forward to the taste. I’ll definately keep you posted about my thoughts on that. Here’s the video I did last night as I finished cooking and prepping. I ended up cooking for several hours BUT I don’t really have to cook anything at all this week. I think the only thing I didn’t get pre-made was the Quinoa Salad. So really, the four hours (yes, 4 HOURS) I spent roasting seeds, making dressings & soups and digging out enough Tupperware to store everything was well worth it for the time it will save me this week.

Are you Summer Body ready? Me neither, but even worse, I’ve seen a few of my bad habits creeping back in. Eating a little too much here, making a bad food choice there. It may not seem like much at the time but these bad choices can all add up to one thing – a body not opperating the way it should. Next week, I’m starting the Ultimate Reset, Beachbody’s newest program.

I’ll post a video that will give you all the details but in a nutshell, it’s a Re-do for your body. It’s like starting over but not with the same worn out bodily functions. It’s like being able to turn back the hands of time in 21 days to start over with the digestion, nervous system, clarity, pulmonary system and focus you SHOULD have had before making any poor choices. Like buying a new computer, you get to reboot your body – mind, spirit and physical body. Sounds a little too good to be true? What’s the catch?

Well, for one, it’s not going to be a walk in the park. Beachbody had taken all of the guesswork out of the Ultimate Reset by providing you with exact meal plan, recipes, shopping lists and timed supplements. Everything is laid out very specifically, including videos that show you how to prepare every meal and other that show you exactly what your kitchen will need (utensils, pans, pots, blender, etc). They even offer a special group for support. Why? Because you will need it as you go through each weekly Phase of this plan.

Each week has a different purpose. The first week – Reclaim – begins to limit your consumption on animal products which can be hard on some digestions. Even if you’re not one of those, limiting these can give your digestion a break to heal any underlying issues you may not realize you have. You will restore the alkalinity to your system and get rid of acidity (the damaging state most of our bodies are in). The second week – Release – will be the week you clear everything toxic from your digestion and organs. You further cut out most grains as your body lets go of the deeper toxins in your system. In the final week – Restore – you add in bacterial flora to your digestion and prepare to see your hard work paying off in your clean diet. Cravings will disappear, digestion improves to the point that you can now use your food for fuel, metabolism restores to fully functioning, and more.

Cholesterol is lowering by huge amounts (bad cholesterol). People are finding that once they return to their workouts, they are losing weight faster and getting better results because their body’s can now respond as they were made to. Foods that plagued and tempted or no longer an issue because cravings (sugar, chocolate, caffeine, etc) no longer hold any temptation. Water weight and bloating is gone. Skin is clear and glowing from proper balance in the body. Blood sugar issues are clearing up. And so much more.

As I mentioned, it’s not easy. You are going to be stressing your body from the inside so there is no working out. A light walk, a little yoga or stretching, maybe some Tai Cheng is allowed but that is all. You’re going to be tired and, most likely, sore for a few days as your body rids years of built up toxins from within. You may have headaches from caffeine withdrawl. You might feel anxious at not spending as much time eating, or not being able to eat some of the foods that you are mentally, if not physically, addicted to. You will probably feel hungry as you adjust to a different style of eating – more live foods like fruits and vegetables and less animal products (this is not a low protein diet either). But, in the end, the health and vitality you feel in the last week will make every day that goes before it, worth it. And that’s not my word, it comes from the numerous participants who are currently finishing. EVERY SINGLE ONE is thrilled that they did it.

Beginning this weekend, I will start making videos to show you how I’m preparing for the Reset, what I’m using, what I’m feeling. Once I start, I will keep you up to date on what’s going on. How I feel (good and bad), changes I see (or don’t), and anything in between. Stick around, some of this could be really funny. Bryun is already wondering if I shouldn’t go stay with someone else (ANYONE but him and the kids) while doing this! :)

I sent out a video the other day to gauge your interest in a Challenge to help you either get on track with your health and fitness during the holidays or KEEP you on track during the coming season. The response has been wonderful!

Here are all of the details:

1) Instead of a 90 day challenge, we will hold a 30 day challenge with the option of sticking with it for 60-90 days (future challenges will be in store!) The Challenge will begin Nov. 7th and run through Dec. 7th. (Yes, including Thanksgiving! And we will be posting healthier options for your favorite recipes!!!)

2) Teams will be made of 4-6 people. You can either set up your own teams or I can place you on a team. However, even if you set up your own team, every participant must meet all of the requirements.

3) Challengers must use one of the Beachbody Programs as their main fitness workout. You CAN and are encouraged to use other activities and programs but must incorporate those into the main fitness calendar that comes with the Beachbody program schedule.

4) Challengers must submit an entry into the Beachbody Challenge Game at www.califitclub.com. (There is no guarantee of a win)

5) Challengers should log at their workouts into WOWY (they are eligible to win up to $500 daily) and must report daily into our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/GetFitWithTina. This includes before and after photos and measurements. I know this is difficult (including for me) but it is a big part of making changes.

6) Challengers must use Shakeology as part of their healthy nutrition daily. Shakeology can be purchased (shipping free on Home Direct) at www.califitclub.com The Beachbody Club or the meal plan that is part of the challenger’s program of choice is recommended for nutrition in addition.

7) Challengers must attend a weekly meeting (either in person or online webinar). This is the biggest source of accountability and HIGHLY important. This is what will keep you on track more than anything else so don’t discount the importance of this during the first 30 days.

Ok, to try to cover any questions before they arise –

I already have a Beachbody workout program…do I need to purchase another?

No, you do not have to purchase another program. If you already have a 30 day supply of Shakeology, you do not need to order a new bag/box either. However, both of these must be used daily during the entirely of the challenge.

Why do I need to use a Beachbody program and Shakeology to be a part of the Challenge?

I am going to be available to you by phone, text, email, group and meetings during the entirely of the Challenge. If I’m going to give my devoted attention to your fitness and nutritional journey, I want to know that you are just as seriously committed to your own nutrition and fitness. By using a Beachbody program and Shakeology, I know what workout is scheduled for you on any given day, what nutritional plan you are following and that you are getting the best nutrition available, even if you don’t eat perfectly everyday (Shakeology will fill in for any lapses).

How can I get the best price for my Shakeology and/or program?

Beginning Nov. 1st, you can order a Challenge Pack from www.califitclub.com that will allow you to chose a program, Shakeology AND gives you a 30 day trial of the Beachbody Club free all for one discounted price. Plus, by ordering a Challenge Pack, your shipping costs are waived. These are your best deal as a customer.

If you are setting up your own team and your team choses to purchase programs as well as Shakeology, if you would like to sign up as a Coach, you can have your Coach Kit added for free to your Challenge Pack and your team’s purchases will be credited to YOU.

Ordering Shakeology on Home Direct will give you one program and waive your shipping costs whether as a customer, Club Member or Coach.

Do I really have to post before/after pictures and measurements? Why are we required to attend a weekly meeting?

Most of us live in a state of semi-denial. We avoid pictures, mirrors or other ways of facing the reality of our weight, unhealthy state or lack of fitness. By not being held accountable, we are able to pretend we are doing better or more than in reality we are. I am just as guilty of this and it has attributed to weight gain and a relapse to unhealthy habits. By meeting weekly, see and talk with others who share our struggles (thereby helping us realize we don’t struggle alone), will remind us of our goals and will help us stick to our commitments as well as celebrate our successes with us as we will with them. The weekly meetings (online and in person) will focus on tackling issues that arise head on as well as celebrating and holding one another strong. Posting the before measurements and pictures will serve as a reminder that we don’t want to leave those up for long. We can’t wait to show the changes in them, no matter how small or large, it’s a change in the right direction.

Why are we doing this through the holidays?

The holidays are extremely difficult to maintain your weight, let alone lose weight. However, if I can show you how you actually CAN be disciplined and LOSE weight during the holidays (busyness and all), then how much simpler will it be to lose weight at any other time of the year? Like quitting “cold-turkey” we are going to attack our issues head on.

I’m doing Turbo Jam and my friend is doing P90X, can we still be on a team together?

Yes, we are not seperating the teams by workouts this time around because I’d rather you have people you trust to share with on your team than worry that you are doing the same workout. There will be plenty of people to chat with about your specific workout on any of the other teams (and we will be together on the Facebook page and meetings) but its more important that you and your teammates can chat at other times to encourage each other. I want you to cheer your team on.

I think that about covers all I can think of right now…if you have other questions, feel free to post them. Otherwise, email me directly to be a part of the Challenge teams at FitCoachTina@sbcglobal.net. I’m looking forward to having a blast with you!!!