Why is Personal Development so Important?

I never really believed in Personal Development.  I always thought it was hokey or just mumbo-jumbo!  I thought that to be a strong person, we have to figure our life's path out on our own.  How is someone else's success going to help me...right?  I was always taught that you have to work from the ground up, pay my dues, sell, sell, sell, convince people to do what I needed them to do, and earn things all on my own. 

The funny thing is, I thought that Personal Development was just for the business minded.  I never realized that it would benefit me as a person in my family life and friendships too.  I had to really hit a place in my life where I didn't really like myself, to understand that I needed positive words to fill my life.  The power of words is simply amazing!!!  I was at a place where I feared everything.  I was worried about where I was living, where I was headed in my business, if I was a good enough mom, was I saying the right thing to new people I was meeting, did people like me, etc.  I was a mess. 

Thankfully, Beachbody opened my world up to Personal Development.  I started to hear how other coaches had gone through things I was growing through...or even worse.  Depression is a funny thing and can pop out of nowhere.  Our society is a very negative one.  Our news is so immediate and vivid with what is happening in this world.  Drama seems to make money.  I realized that the negative input in my mind outweighed the positive.  It was time for a change. 

I realized that Faith and Love are so important.  I chose to start reading the bible to have a closer relationship with God.  I knew that we really don't have anything if we don't have hope and faith.  Sometimes we get to a point in our lives that we lose that.  I didn't want to read the bible, but the more I did, I started to learn a bit more each time.  I sure do have a lot more to read with the bible and learn. 

But I needed to read more!  I realized that to gain happiness in life you have to set goals for yourself, read positive talk/listen to positive talk, you have to learn how to nurture relationships in business and personal to grow, personal development helps empower yourself, strive to better yourself. 

Do you feel like you are an icky person right now?  Do you fear everything?  Do you feel like you are never successful?  Why does bad stuff always happen to you?  Do you feel like you don't have deep meaningful relationships?  Is your marriage failing?  Are you overwhelmed a lot?
Then it may be time for you to start making small changes in your life with what you read, what you are listening to, and what you watch.

If you are looking for some great Personal Development books to read, let me know.  I can suggest a ton to you.  I suggest you read 5-10 pages a day.  Don't overwhelm yourself, but feed your brain positive and get rid of the negative.

The next book on my agenda for the month of December is "Everybody Communicates, Few Connect", by John C. Maxwell.  Let me know if you want to join me on this one. 

Have a great one!!!

Fitness Frenzy Challenge - 4 weeks until Christmas!

 

This is the time of year we all give up and just give into the calories and fat!  Why not take this time to get down and serious with nutrition, fitness, and feel amazing at your holiday parties and family events? 

 

I am starting a Fitness Frenzy Challenge group on November 26th!  Over the next 4 weeks, you will learn.........

 

1.  How to read ingredient labels

2.  Learn about the 3 ingredients to stay away from in your diet

3.  Structure your fitness plan

4.  Receive a ton of motivation

5.  Weekly Nutrition Conference Call

6.  See positive changes on the inside and out

 

 

For only $39.95, you will have all of this, plus an amazing group of people along there with you.  You do not want to miss out on this opportunity! 

Shoot me an email at cherirudolf@gmail.com to get signed up!  If you sign up, by Friday Nov. 16th, you will receive a FREE sample of Shakeology!!!!  Don't miss out!!

 

Your Beachbody Coach,

 

Cheri Rudolf

 

 

 

 



7-10lbs of weight gain during the Holidays! Say What?

7-10lbs of weight gain during the Holidays!  Say What?

 

 

It really puts things into perspective when you see the numbers 7-10lbs in front of your face.  The holidays are the most wonderful time of year, but also the most detrimental to your health!  The enjoyment of spending time with family is great, but that includes high fat foods and lots of sugar.  It is so easy to fall into the trap of saying, "Oh, I will just have one cookie, one glass of wine, one more scoop of mashed potatoes...."  But then you end up eating left overs 3 more days out of the week!!!  Yikes! 

 

Do you want to be the one who gains 10lbs in 2 months?  I sure don't!  So what do you do about it?  There are easy ways to avoid those Holiday 10!

 

1.  Choose low fat recipes of your favorite dishes!  All dishes out there typically have a low fat version.  Just do some research and find out what healthier products you can substitute for the high fat ones.

 

2.  Small plates will help you with Portion Size!  Focus on your portion sizes.  Be realistic and don't go overboard.

 

3.  Do Not go for 2nds!!!!  One round is good enough.  :-)

 

4.  Stay away from the appetizers.  Don't fill up too soon before the big meal!  Save your appetite for the main meal and enjoy!

 

5.  Alcohol has Calories!  Either drink one glass of wine or don't drink it at all.  It is wasted calories!  Choose what is most important...the drink or the food. 

 

6.  Enjoy dessert, but only choose one piece of cake and make the slice small.  Eat it nice and slowly to enjoy the taste.  Don't devour it and then go for another piece.  If you take your time, you usually only need one piece.

 

7.  Workout 6 days a week!  No Excuses!  Burn those calories off!!! 

 

8.  Fill up your half of your plate with veggies and fruit!  Make your dish colorful with good stuff! 

 

9.  Drink lots of water to flush out your system.  The more hydrated you are, the less likely you are to be hungry and binge.

 

10.  Don't keep candy, fudge, cakes...etc. in the house.  Give it away, bring it to work, let your kids share it at school..etc.  Just make sure it is out of your hands. 

 

11.  Avoid the sauces.  They usually are filled with butter and cream. 

 

12.  Eat your food slowly and focus on socializing.  For good digestion, we really should be chewing 30-40 chews per bite.  Sounds like a lot right?  This will help your brain catch up to your stomach to tell you if you are truly full and you won't overeat!

 

These are some simple solutions to keep yourself on track.  You can do it!  Let me know what kind of help you need during this holiday season to stay in shape.  :-)

I am here to help you!

Your Beachbody Coach,

Cheri

 



The Four Pillars of Fitness - Chalene Johnson

THE FOUR PILLARS OF FITNESS

-Chalene Johnson, "PUSH"

 

 

As I sit outside on this gorgeous Fall, sunny, South Carolina day, I want to share with you some great info about 4 impacting factors of fitness!!!  Many of us think it is pretty simple, just head out the door for a run, bike, swim, take an aerobic class...that is far from the case.  To get that bangin' body you want, you have to follow these Four Pillars of Fitness (PUSH - Chalene Johnson).

 

1.  Cardio:  Cardio is a great way to relieve stress, lose weight, and live longer.  You should get your heart rate up at least 30 minutes a day.  Your intensity level should be between a 5-9 on a scale of 1-10. 

 

Category 1:  Impact

low impact - walking, rock climbing, dance, cycling, waterskiing, yoga, pilates

high impact - running, cycling, kickboxing, jumping rope, plyometrics, basketball

 

Category 2:  Intensity

moderate intensity - walking, rock climbing, riding a bike, weight training, yoga

interval training - competitive soccer, cycling, aerobic classes and DVDs

high-intensity interval training - competitive basketball, soccer, tennis, athletic drills

 

A great rule of thumb is to use Chalene Johnson's 3-2-1 Formula. 

3 days of high-intensity or interval workouts of 30 minutes or more.

2 days of moderate-intensity, long-duration cardio (45-60 minutes)

1 day of moderate to low-intensity cardio activity for 30 minutes or more.

 

2.  REST

 

Our society often thinks we are productive when we sleep on less than 8 hours of sleep.   We think we can get more done and that it won't hurt our bodies.  That is totally false!

 

Science teaches that adequate hours and quality sleep will help:

-Metabolize carbs properly

-Maintain leptin and growth hormones

-Increase energy levels

-Maintain proper blood pressure and insulin resistance

-Decrease anxiety and stress

-Repair muscle

 

3.  Flexibility

 

A flexible muscle has greater strength potential.  How about that.  So you can actually get stronger by stretching!!!! 

The benefits of improved flexibility:

-More energy and mobility

-More muscle strength and power

-Improved posture and balance

-Better athletic performance

-Reduced stiffness and joint pain

-Reduced muscle stress and chronic injury

 

4.  Strength

 

For all the ladies out there, YOU WILL NOT BULK UP!!!  Fat bulks you up.  Muscle is the fountain of youth!!!

 

-A body with more muscle tissue burns more calories all day long.

-As you increase muscle composition, you burn more calories when performing cardio exercises.

-Muscle provides shape to your body.

-For fat loss, go heavier weights, fewer reps.

-For muscular endurance, go lighter with weights, greater reps, longer workouts.

 

Now that you know the Four Pillars, go find your Soul mate workout and get that bangin' body you always wanted.  No excuses!!!

 

Your Coach,

Cheri

 

 



Baby Steps and Bite-Size Pieces to Fitness

Working out is not easy.  There, I said it!  It is something that normally does not come naturally to most.  It has to become a habit for most to fall in love with it.  The thing is, if you don't get your body moving you will become Fat, Sick, and Die Young.  So, how do you make working out a habit?  The first thing you have to do is stop blaming others and allowing things to distract you.  Saying you don't have time, you are tired, you work full time, your kids are in the room when you do it, you need a partner to work out with, you have to have the right music, your not a morning person, your not a night person...blah,blah,blah,blah!!!!  I am not trying to be mean, but really, STOP THE NEGATIVE TALK.  To be successful you HAVE to put in the work.  Imagine if you used these excuses at your place of work.  You would be FIRED!!!! 

So here is how you begin to create Fitness Goals for yourself that you will achieve!!!!!

1.  Start with small goals.  Focus on reasonable expectations you are confident you can achieve in a time frame of 2-4 weeks.  Get out of the thinking...Hey, I always wanted to do a marathon...overwhelm yourself....then drop off the wagon.  It is so much easier to look at goals in a 2-4 week time frame. Break it down into goals you can handle in less than a month. 

You can even focus weekly.  Make a goal that you will walk/run/do a fitness program 3 times a week for 30-40 minutes.  Start small and then build.  You don't need to commit to 6 days a week if you haven't worked out in years.  Take the pressure off yourself.

These goals should be attainable, so that at the end of the week you have accomplished them and feel amazing!

2.  Measurable Goals - Don't just say you want to be healthier.  Create measures.  State how many healthy meals you are going to cook a week, how many days you will exercise, the number of pounds you want to lose in 30 days, how many miles you will run this week, how many hours of sleep you are going to get daily...etc.  This makes your goals more solid and meaningful.

3.  Achievable Goals - According to Chalene Johnson, there is a difference between the achievable and possible.  A person that hates to run and has bad knees is not likely to maintain her goal to complete the Boston Marathon.  Choose workouts you will like.  Getting fit should be fun and build your self-confidence....not piss you off while you are doing it. 

4.  Rewarding - Yes, fitness is sacrifice, but you have to remember that the rewards are so much bigger.  List all the rewards you will receive when you hit your goal weight?  Here are some examples: You will fit into that dress you have been wanting, your clothes will lay on your body much nicer, your doctor will tell you that you can get off your diabetic or cholesterol medications, you can breath better, you get compliments, you will meet new people, you will be more confident, you will get that job promotion, people will take you seriously......etc.  Whatever it may be, you will be rewarded!

5.  Time Sensitive - Each of your goals should have a time-sensitive deadline.  This helps you to become more focused.  When goals are written down and they have a deadline, we work so much harder toward them then if it is open-ended!

Here is your homework:  What is your Smart (Smallest, Measurable, Achievable, Rewarding, and Time Sensitive) health and fitness goal? 
Then create a list of all positive side effects of achieving this first goal.
Have fun with this.  I can't wait to read, hear, and most of all SEE your results.  Yay!!!!

Your Coach,
Cheri

- information provided from Chalene Johnson, creator of PUSH.

Working out during Pregnancy

Most of you know that I am 15 weeks pregnant.  Just heading into my 2nd trimester!  I have been getting a lot of people asking me how my workouts are changing or will change. Here is the deal, if you have been working out prior to getting pregnant, then keep on moving that body.  The key is to bring it down a notch.  Make sure you are going more low impact.  Limit the plyometric movements and the bouncing.  Keep your feet on the floor does not mean you can't get your sweat on.  Their are so many programs out there to keep you inshape during your pregnancy. 

For those of you who are pregnant, but have not worked out prior to the pregnancy, I would stick with extremely low impact movements.  The best suggestion I have for you is to take walks.  You do not want to go crazy working out because of fear that you will gain too much weight.  You could cause a miscarriage.  You just have to stay healthy and keep that baby healthy. 

A great suggestion for both groups...the athlete and the non-athlete is Yoga.
I will be getting my groove on with Yoga Booty Ballet!  It is low impact and tones the core, hips and thighs.  All the areas that will help push that baby out.  :-)  Plus, it will calm you and your baby.  Take a look!

All in all, rest when you feel you need to, eat what you can, but when you get back to normal after the nausea, then try and eat healthy.  Don't let pregnancy be an excuse to eat whatever.  Remember, what goes in your mouth is going to the baby too.  Try eating every 2-3 hours.
Let me know if you have any questions.  I would love to help!!!
Your Coach,
Cheri

Detoxes...Are they really good for you?

It has been awhile since I blogged.  This is my mission, to have a blog post for you every Monday!  Yay! 

With that said, I have a bit on my mind about dramatic detoxes.  Lately I have seen so many women posting that they want to do a 5-10 day detox.  Why put your body through that drama?  Basically all you are losing is water weight and attacking your muscle.  When you detox too quickly, you lose a lot of good vitamins in the body and your body feels like it is going into starvation mode.  The best way to do a detox is a Slow Detox for 21-30 days.  That is why Beachbody Created the Ultimate Reset.  It is a slow detox that incorporates foods that jump start and cleanses your organs.  Food can detox your body, if you are eating the correct things.  I am so tired of people (especially women) being so fearful of calories and food.  Our bodies are made to consume food...1,200 calories and more, as a matter of a fact!  It is about consuming the right kinds of foods.  To be honest, if you are eating clean, then you really shouldn't be having to detox.  Because clean eating flushes out your organs and body naturally.  But if you are ready to clean your system out naturally and the safe way, to jump start your weight loss or you have medical issues that you need something drastic, then talk to me about the Ultimate Reset!!!  Love your body and be gentle with it.  :-)

What is an ANDI Score?

We all know that veggies and fruits are wonderful for our bodies, but have you ever thought about which are more nutrient than others?  You may be eating a lot of a particular vegetable/fruit that has a low antioxidant content compared to another option. 

What is an ANDI Score? 

ANDI stands for “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index.”

An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient contents.

ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating a range of micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants capacities.

The higher the concentration of these elements in a food per calorie, the higher the score.  For instance, kale, a dark leafy green, scores 1000, while soda scores a 1.

scoThis picture is of Broccoflower.  It has an ANDI score of over 700.  It is so important to understand what kind of nutrients/ingredients are in your food.  Processed food pretty much has ZERO nutrition.  To stay healthy and live long, you have to boost your immune system with food that is jam-packed with vitamins.  Teach yourself and your taste buds to eat the right kind of foods.  A great tip is to buy food closest to its natural form.  Eat Healthy and Live Long!

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  This weekend not only gives thanks to our troops for all they do for our country, but it also entails swimming, boating, driving long trips, eating a lot, late nights, dancing and much more.  I had a very stressful week last week with some family issues, then we had to drive 5 hours to Atlanta and back, boating and lifting my precious daughter all day.  My back was Out!  No, not painful, but it was out of alignment.

Many people suffer from headaches, allergies, sleep issues, bowel problems, infertility and don't realize it could be from their back being out of alignment.  Chiropractic care is not just for those in a major accident or a sports injury. 

It is about Prevention!

Research has shown that chiropractic care boosts the immune system. Chiropractic adjustments relieve stress from the nerve system, which is a critical link and has governing role over the immune system.
Consider the following:

• Spinal lesions, similar to vertebral subluxation complexes caused by misalignments, are associated with exaggerated sympathetic activity, which releases immune regulatory cells into the blood circulation and alters immune function. The nervous system has a direct effect on the immune system due to the nerve supply to the important immune system organs. ^{1, 2, 3}
• White blood cells, which eat and destroy bad cells, are enhanced through chiropractic care. ⁴
• HIV positive patients adjusted over a 6-month period showed a 48% increase in CD4 cells, an important immune system component. ⁵
• The chief of cancer prevention at New York’s Preventative Medicine Institute found that people who received regular chiropractic care over a five-year period had a 200% greater immune competence than those who had not received chiropractic care. The chiropractic group showed a 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer and other serious diseases. ⁶

Chiropractic care for maintenance of a strong immune system should be a standard regimen for everyone. Typically, patients on a maintenance schedule will be able to hold their chiropractic adjustments from 1-3 weeks, depending on stress levels. However, in times of immune system suppression, a patient can have their spine examined for misalignments several times per day to ensure their nerve systems are free of interference. Wellness chiropractors and Maximized Living doctors use several objective technologies to check for diminished nerve supply, the presence or absence of subluxations, and how well (and how long) their patients are holding their adjustments. - www.maximizedliving.com

Subluxations put pressure on the nerves and keep the nervous system from functioning properly.  By getting an adjustment and aligning the spine, it takes away the nerve interference.  Clearing the way for uninterrupted communication from your nerves to your brain.  This results in a strong immune system.

I went and had an adjustment today and I love how I feel after.  My hips feel square, my upper back has less soreness and my jaw is back in place which stops my headaches. 

Check out a Chiropractor in your local area.  I love the techniques from Life University in Georgia.  So I try to find a Chiropractor who graduated from Life. 

Lets get cracking.  :-)

Healthy dinners do not have to be difficult to make!

I use to think that eating healthy would be very hard.  I never had the urge to learn how to cook or bake.  I was lucky to have a wonderful mom who was an amazing cook, as well as my grandmother.  I guess I was a bit spoiled.  As I grew into an adult, I was the typical Lean Cuisine cook or I would just go out and eat. 

It wasn't until I moved to Fargo, ND where we were at home much more due to weather and I had a bit more time on my hands.  I had several family members and friends develop the Big "C"....CANCER and I started to freak out.  I started to read deeper into what was going into what I ate.  I am still learning everyday, but I have also learned that eating healthy does not mean cooking it has to be crazy difficult either. 

I am not quite to the point where I make all my own sauces, but that is my next goal.  In the meantime, I buy all organic meats, dairy, fruits and veggies.  Those are the staples that you should really try to buy organic.  As far as sauces, I still buy BBQ Sauce, regular dressings and so forth.  But I will let you know when I have the knack to make quick sauces that are all organic.  :-)

Ok, so here are some great quick meals.  I love the Four Seasons Italian Dressing mix.  I get the box with several packets in it from Walmart.  Super cheap and it goes a long way.  I have two healthy dishes that I make with it.  One is Italian Chicken.  I defrost my organic chicken, mix the Good Seasons Mix with Olive Oil, Vinegar and water and then marinate it on the chicken.  Simple!  I add salad and a Carb (Pasta, sweet potato, Quinoa (this is a protein)) to it.  Bam!  That is my healthy meal.

Another idea using the Good Seasons Dressing is also thanks to my wonderful Momma, Pat Moravek.  Buy ORGANIC or FRESH Cod.   Defrost the Cod, add the Four Season Dressing and lightly bread it with Pepridge Farm breading.  Again, add salad and a small portion of pasta or a potato, rice or Quinoa.  Bam!  Simple.  You will love it. 

Last night, I was feeling a bit frisky and wanted to be creative,on my terms of course, and I took two gorgeous ORGANIC orange bell peppers, cut the tops off and stuffed them with a tuna salad.  I took 4 cans of tuna, added 2.5 tbs of REAL Mayo (always stick with the real stuff.  Don't be afraid of real fat.  It is actually better for you than the fake/diet stuff) , I cut up 3 small sweet pickles, add diced onions and mixed it all together.  YUM!  You can even add lime juice for a bit of taste, salt and pepper too.  I stuffed the tuna salad in the bell pepper, added pasta on the side and lots of salad.  It was such a spring/summer dish.  Very Festive.  We all loved it. 

I get a lot of my meal ideas from Beachbody's Meal Planner.  They usually are only 15 min. prep time and 20 min. to cook.  Let me know if you are interested in learning more.  :-)  Please share your healthy recipes on here too.  I would love it.

5 Signs Your Body is Toxic

By Kim Kash

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?

The Feeding Tube Diet. REALLY?

Last night I was totally sickened to see what people will do to lose weight.  I was watching 20/20 and they did a full episode on "Losing It".  Part of the segment was about people who will actually have a feeding tube put in to lose weight.  Wow!  I sat there and was completely disgusted that people would rather go to drastic measures than to live a healthy lifestyle. 

I do not understand why people do not get it that Quick Fixes Do Not Work!  They usually cause more weight gain or other complications.  To see, mostly women, utilizing the feeding tube technique is such an odd thing to see.  They would rather look like they have a medical issue with a tube sticking out their nose and carry IV bags than get there butts moving and actually creating healthy meals.  What has our society come to?

There was another part of 20/20 where 5 people died after undergoing lap band procedures around their stomachs.  To die at the hands of diet solution?  It just isn't right.  Not only that, to spend thousands of dollars with no support after is absurd.  There are other solutions.  Solutions that are healthier, cheaper and where you have the support you need. 

You have to remember that to get anything worthwhile, you have to be diligent, work hard at it and press on!  Success only comes because of hard work.  If any of you are thinking about a dramatic weight loss procedure or diet pills, please email, text, or facebook me.  Your life is worth so much more than a quick fix.  It is worth living a long healthy lifestyle.  :-)
What are your thoughts on all of this?

MY WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY!

MY WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY!   

 Many of you read my daily posts on Facebook that have to do with living healthy, workouts, being strong, clean eating, avoiding certain ingredients, positive attitude...etc.  Well, that wasn't always the case with me.  I am going to tell you my story. 

    I was always a skinny kid.  I could eat anything and everything.  I never worried about my weight.  The funny thing is that I really didn't even know I was overweight or what we would say to young kids, Chubby, until I was told I was FAT!  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  As a young girl, weight was the last thing on my mind.  It wasn't until I turned 12 or 13 that the word FAT came into play and changed my life.  That is when I became uncomfortable with my body.  Not only was I tall, but now I am Fat.  I just felt out of place.  I went to a Catholic School where the uniforms were so unflattering and they did not put a lot of emphasis on exercise and sports.  I continued to just remain uncomfortable and eat sugar, sugar and more sugar.  My portion sizes were a mess.  I never knew anything about calories and the amount of soda I was drinking was filled with sugar.  I never thought about how many hot dogs or burgers I should eat at the ball field.  I was just having fun and I ate what I wanted. 

    When I began high school that is when I hit my breaking point.  I was beginning a new high school where I didn't know anyone and I hated the way I looked.  One day I was walking down the hall and a girl that I knew when I was in elementary school tapped me on my shoulder, welcomed me to the school and said I would be great on the Rowing team because of my height.  I knew nothing about Rowing.  What the heck is that sport?  I decided to jump in because it was the only sport where it was co-ed.  I thought it was a great opportunity to meet both girls and boys. 

     When practice began in the Fall of 1991 (I know I am dating myself), I was embarrassed because I couldn't even run a 1/4 of a mile.  I developed rashes on my inner thighs due to my Umbros(remember those shorts) chaffing em.  I hated it, but something in me told me to forge ahead.  Thankfully I did.  This was the beginning of my Fitness Career and my love for feeling strong, being competitive and reaching success.  I was one of the worst rowers in the Fall Season of Rowing.  My coach at the time told me I needed a lot of work, but if I put in my time, I would be a great rower.  I listened to Coach Jenn and worked with my team day in and day out.  By the end of my Freshman year, I was awarded the Most Improved Rower Award.  What an amazing feeling and to top it all off, I could finally run a mile without stopping!!!!

      Fast Forward a few years - Senior year I was on the Varsity team at Simsbury High School rowing in what we thought was the big time baby.  :-)  We loved every minute of it and our training was taken to another level.  I went from not being able to run a 1/4 of a mile my Freshman year to running 6 miles a day straight through.  I was on top of the world.  I was losing weight, BUT my nutrition was horrible. 

     Needless to say for being one of the worst rowers my Freshman year of high school, I stuck with it, I worked hard, I cried, I rejoiced and was SUCCESSFUL.  I went on to row Division I at the University of Connecticut.  I was a Varsity Rower my entire way through.  It was an amazing experience.  I worked out 4-6 hours a day with my team and I was in the best shape of my life....so I thought. 

       After graduating from UConn, I went onto the working world.  This is where my weight would be tested again.  I went from 4-6 hour a day workouts to a sedentary job and fast food all around me.  In just 2 years I had gained 30lbs back.  Ugh!  I felt like that young girl in middle school again.  I was working out, but not losing weight.  I would hardly eat anything and then binge or I would eliminate a very important food group and then binge.  It was a vicious cycle.  I had no guidance.  I didn't know where to turn to. 

       Years went by and I would yo-yo.  I seemed to get on the straight and narrow right before I got married.  I actually began to read articles on nutrition.  How certain ingredients impact the body.  I also joined a gym that had an amazing Bootcamp and man, did we get our butts kicked 3 days a week. ha,ha  But no matter how hard I worked out, nothing changed until my nutrition did.  I added more veggies into my diet and fruits.  That helped dramatically, but I still wasn't on the right path.  But I was ok with my weight.

       Once I got pregnant, I thought I would have no problem dropping the baby weight.  I had become a Fitness Instructor, taught 2 -3 classes a day sometimes and felt it would not be an issue.  Well, it was.  After I had my precious daughter, I ballooned back up...20lbs heavier.  I was at a loss.  I couldn't get to the gym like I wanted to and I lived across the country from family and friends.  I just wasn't happy. 

        It wasn't until a dear friend of mine, Katy Gillis, contacted me about becoming a Beachbody Coach and starting an at-home-based program.  It actually took me a long time to get back with her because I had always been a gym rat.  Work out at home?  Are you kidding me?  But then I hit the wall.  I saw the pictures from my daughter's Baptism (6 months after she was born) and I still looked 5 months pregnant.  I was so upset and called Katy and began my journey as a Beachbody Coach.  I needed to learn about not plateauing with my workouts, eating right and working on my personal development.  I never thought that negative thinking contributed to my weight gain or basically preventing me from getting to what I consider success.  My journey is still a work in process, but I cannot thank the Beachbody Community enough for helping me learn to eat clean and that doesn't mean depriving yourself, also for teaching me that reading books on confidence/success/working with people WILL help get your mind on the right path and of course the amazing workouts.  I change my workouts every 60-90 days and my body is always shocked.  It is constantly changing, getting stronger and getting healthier.  So here I am 34 years old and I truly believe I look better than I did at the age of 13 years old and 18 years old in the pictures I have posted below. 

      Anyone can change, you just have to commit to it, find the right coach, keep working at it and celebrate your successes.  I look forward to Being Your Beachbody Coach and seeing your transformation.  Change Your Life Now!!!!

The top picture is me at 18 years old and the one below it I am 13.  The one to the right is me 6 months after having my daughter trying to hide my belly.  The one of me with my daughter on the slide was taken May 5, 2012!!!

Hi Everyone,

I am so excited to welcome you to my new Blog!!!!  This is my very first time doing a blog and can't wait to share with you my thoughts, tips and advice on Fitness, Health, Personal Development and overall Wellness.  This is where you are going to get the inside scoop.  Real questions will be answered, real emotions will be used, I will express what workout programs are hot and what is not and so much more.  :-) 
This is just my intro.  My next post is going to be all about me, my background and how I became a Fitness and Health junky!!!!  I look forward to you all reading what I have to say and remember......ask me any questions you may have on food, exercise, drinks, ingredients, diseases, how to do a specific workout move...etc.  If I don't know it, I will research it to find out. 

If you are looking for a Fitness Coach, I am your girl.  I have the whole package through Beachbody!!!  Bring It!!!

 www.beachbodycoach.com/cherirudolf

www.facebook.com/cmoravekrudolf