Are YOU ready to take the Beachbody Challenge?

Are you Ready to Take the Beachbody Challenge?

Every month I will be hosting a challenge for people to take part in but it’s not going to be like any other challenge, this will be quite different. I have hosted VERY successful challenges and have seen a lot of my friends and customers have GREAT results and success but there was also something that bothered me when I hosted them… it bothered me so much that I actually haven’t hosted a challenge in a while. What bothered me was that so many people would commit and then only a handful would follow through. I blamed myself for that because maybe there was something I personally could have done to make them stay on track and stay strong. BUT I realized it would be impossible for me to do that with the large number of challengers I had each time.

SO This is going to be very small and intimate with only 5 people and we all will commit to our fitness goals, health goals, diet, and stay accountable to one another. We will all be in this together and what is so cool about these challenges I will be hosting starting in November is that we will all be doing the SAME THING… we will all be doing the same workout program, drinking shakeology, tracking our progress, staying connected in our private facebook group, etc. So if you are thinking “well I don’t have shakeology” well then YES what I am saying is you will have to commit to getting on shakeology and drinking it 1x per day. This will be a commitment for the 5 people I take in and I want us all to be 100% committed… I plan on giving 110% of myself to YOU to help you reach success and I want you to have the same commitment!

By joining my challenge you will automatically get 1 month FREE of Beachbody Club membership (WOO HOO!) this is a great tool to have for all of us because we will all be starting at a different point in our fitness. With the club membership you will get a customizable meal planner that will make reaching your goals even easier. Oh and by thew way, another HUGE BONUS is you get 10% off all your beachbody products by being a Club Member. You’ll also be entered into daily drawings when you track your workouts online to win CASH just for working out!

Before I recap the exact details I want you to ask yourself these questions….

1. Do you want to get healthy?

2. Do you want to fit in your skinny jeans?

3. Do you want to look in the mirror and feel GOOD about what you see?

4. Do you want to have energy?

5. Do you want to add years onto your life ?

6. Do you want to set a good example for your children or friends?

7. Do you want to have a more positive attitude?

8. Do you want to build relationships with others going through the same things?

9. Do you want to have more confidence

10.Do you want to get your life on track and start a new healthy lifestyle?

I think we all want those things and THIS challenge is the answer to help you achieve those goals. It takes 21 days to create a habit and with this you will have others looking to see if you did your workout and hearing from YOU that day so that accountability will keep you on track!

So, are you interested? OF COURSE YOU ARE .… Before I break it down for you FIRST you need to go to https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free/103475 to sign up for a FREE account with me so I am your official Beachbody Coach.

Now, Let me break it down for you…

Amy Romero’s Beachbody Challenge:

1. DECIDE & COMMIT to joining my Beachbody Challenge

2. Choose the workout program you would like to do

3. Choose Chocolate or Greenberry Shakeology

4. Receive CHALLENGE CONFIRMATION email from me with tips on how to track progress, how to measure, recipes, fitness tips, goal setting, how to schedule workouts, how to join our PRIVATE facebook challenge group, Private kick off info, etc

5. Follow through for 3 months and Succeed!

WHAT’S A CHALLENGE PACK?

• Shakeology Home Direct
• Fitness Program (such as Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, P90X, Insanity, etc)
• Team Beachbody Club - FREE 30 day trial

BY GETTING A CHALLENGE PACK YOU SAVE $$$$$

	$160 Pack	$180 Pack	$205 Pack
Retail Price	$185.75	$206.33	$249.69
Savings	$25.75	$26.33	$44.69

CONTACT ME ASAP if you are interested or have any questions … remember I’m only taking the first 5 people! Email Me: fithappy@yahoo.com or on facebook: www.facebook.com/avromero 

Challenge Packs available to order from www.TurboRomero.com on November 1st

~To Your Health~

Tips for new runners

So I'm on a half marathon training team. And there's TONS of people there every Saturday running our weekly 'long' runs. And I see and hear so many things from folks about aches and pains - that could be easily prevented. Luckily, before I started running, my husband had been running for several years. Throughout that time, I learned all the things he did wrong, through his trial and error and from learning from other runners. This means I didn't have to go through all those things. So I thought I'd share some of them here so that maybe some new runners won't have to go through those things either. These are some of the most common mistakes that lead to unpleasant aches and pains that could be prevented. If you're a runner - and have something to add here, please do leave a comment below!

1) Don't wear anything that has ANY cotton in it. Remember, cotton is rotten! :) Choose your socks, underwear, shorts/pants and tops that have absolutely 0% cotton in them. Any cotton and you'll have material that holds onto wetness, gets heavy and worse still, makes some very nasty friction. You don't want chafing...and that can happen easily with any cotton in your clothing. Polyester, Rayon, etc will dry quickly, is lighter and doesn't hurt!

2) Always, always, always warm up for a few minutes before a run. Dynamic stretching is considered by many seasoned runners as a great way to get your muscles and joints ready for the run. Google "dynamic stretching for runners" if you're unfamiliar with what this looks like.

3) Don't skimp on shoes. I know it hurts some people to pay $100 for a pair of shoes. But let me tell you now; you can skimp on your pumps, your flats, your dress shoes if you want...but if you want to save your joints and prevent injury, you will not want to skimp on running shoes. Please do not go to a store and pick out your own shoes your first few times. Go to a running store. Not a sporting goods store, not a mass retailer, an actual, specialty running store. They'll check your gait, your feet, and talk about your needs to find the perfect shoe for you. After a few times, you may be able to pick out your own once you know what's best for you. But leave it to the pros the first few times! And don't forget, running shoes need to be replaced regularly. Several times a year, or more depending on your mileage. Replace them every few hundred miles or so.

4) Stretch WELL after every single run. Even if the run felt easy. Stretch everything you can. And do it well. Stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, IT band, hip flexors, glutes....and even your arms/shoulders. Hold each stretch 30 seconds if you can.

5) Rest after a hard run. If you've never run 5 miles before...and then tomorrow you do run 5 miles, that's a big deal to your body. Take the next day off. You can do another workout if you want to, but try to rest your legs. The rest time is when your muscles heal and rebuild. Don't skip it...that's how you build strength and prevent injury.

6) Try not to increase your weekly mileage more than 10% each week. And listen to your body. If you're absolutely exhausted or you have some persistent aches and pains, take a couple days off. Use ice/heat as necessary...and don't be afraid to take ibuprofen for aches and pains. Just don't take it BEFORE a run. You very well may get some awful stomach pain if you do!

7) Hydration, even in winter, is key to an effective, pleasant run. Drink enough water EVERY day, but be extra cognizant the day before a run and the morning of a run. Drink about 64 ounces every day, or more or less depending on your body and activity level. Remember, if you'll be running in very hot weather, you ought to take water on your run with you. They make handy little running belts with water bottles that are super convenient. Even if it's not hot, you should have water with you (or sports drink) if you'll be running an hour or more. You may also consider bringing some snacks with you on these long runs too. Think of simple sugars, that's what your body needs during these runs. Gummy bears, pretzels, or the little packets of Gu or Accel Gel work great.

8) Don't forget to EAT. About an hour before your run, you should eat something. It's your fuel, don't skip it. Try simple carbs and a little protein. Stay away from too much fiber. You may need to play around with what works best for you. For me, 1/2 a wheat bagel with a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter gets me through about an hour run. Then I use the gummy bears, etc mentioned above.  If I eat a heavier breakfast, I don't feel too well on my run. This may differ for you, but I'd start out smaller and work your way up if you start getting hungry too quickly.

9) Don't be afraid of fitted clothes for running. Compression or tighter clothing chafes less (as long as there's no cotton, as mentioned above!) and also helps to keep you cooler or warmer, depending on the weather. Some folks even swear by compression because they feel that it helps their muscles stay comfortable and supported. Personally, my compression capris are now my FAVORITE thing to run in, because of the way it makes my legs muscles feel.

10) Regarding your stride, try to keep a few things in mind right off the bat. Try not to land heavily on your foot. Also try not to land directly on your heel. Don't be afraid to go a little slower or faster if it helps the way you land. Keep your elbows at about a 90 degree angle, close to your body and swing your arms slightly and only from the shoulder. Don't make fists, keep your hands loosely closed, sort of like you're holding something fragile in each hand. Keep your head lifted, looking out toward the horizon and keep your shoulders back, and your back straight. Lean every-so-slightly forward, but do not bend at the hips.  This will all help prevent injury and back soreness and will definitely help you waste less energy with your arm-swing & gait. If you have trouble picturing what this all looks like, check this video out; it includes even more little pieces to the running form puzzle - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx6x2cD6Y8Q

Most importantly, just try to have fun and enjoy the scenery around you. Run outdoors if you can, in my opinion, it creates a better environment and also trains your muscles more effectively since there are hills and changes in the trails. Just stay away from running on concrete - shin splints LOVE concrete :)

I'd love to hear from other runners, comment below if you have something add or correct!

~To Your Health~

Do you HIIT?

If not, you should.

It's said to burn 9x more fat than steady state cardio. Yep, that means if you walk at a steady pace for 30 minutes, you'd burn 9 TIMES that if you were doing HIIT instead. More bang for your buck. More fun. And more effective. So why aren't you doing it? Don't know how? Don't know if it's for you?

You can do it by pushing your cardio to about 80% of your max for a minute or so, then taking another minute to 'cool down' a little bit. Then do it again. That easy. And it CAN be for you! Turbo Fire is my FAVORITE HIIT workout - it has lots of plyometric-style moves and Chalene is the best! It's a ton of fun. And for those folks who aren't ready to jump around and get crazy, there's always a modifier. You can follow her; her feet don't leave the ground, totally low-impact. If you want to try HIIT on your own, you can do it on a treadmill by alternating 1 minute sprints with 1 minute recovery jogs. This will give you a good idea of how it feels, but it can get boring. Cue Turbo Fire once that boredom sets in. But hey, that's just me. I look forward to the workouts and look better and feel better than I ever have...so I'm a true fan for life :)

If you want to try HIIT on your own and would like any more details - or support - I'm happy to help, just shoot me an email! fithappy@yahoo.com

Now go KILL that cardio and don't spend an hour every day on the treadmill when you could be getting MUCH better results from 15-20 minutes of HIIT!

~To Your Health~

A good piece of advice

You know how they always say not to go to the grocery store hungry? Well, that's still true, but I'd like to put it out there that it's also not wise to leave home at ALL when you're hungry. You're a lot more likely to eat something away from your house that you wouldn't normally choose. When you're trying to make healthier diet choices, eating out increases your chances of making poor choices. Have a snack before you leave the house to run errands or even before you go to work. Just make it a healthy snack. It'll help you eat less calories in the long run and also help prevent making poor quality choices as well. And hey, you'll probably save some money this way too. Grabbing an apple on the way out the door is a heck of a lot cheaper than a value meal at your nearest fast food restaurant.

Some good options to keep in your kitchen for these last minute snacks are fruit, single serve chocolate milks, greek yogurts, kashi cereal bars, string cheese, shakeology, or small baggies full of raw veggies.  Even if you're not hungry before you head out, it may be a good idea to grab a piece of fruit on the way out the door anyway. If you're like me, you'll be hungry in an hour or two, and if you're still out and about away from the house then, you'll have that fruit ready.

I'm sure there's other great options for snacks on the go...what are your favorites?

~To Your Health~

Top 10 workout songs for October

Alllll right, the list is in!


Hope you all saw September's list. If you missed it, check back a few posts earlier and have a peruse. Love that this site is searchable and it includes Beats Per Minute (BPM). PERFECT for your workouts, and especially for running!

Here's October's top 10 list, according to votes placed at RunHundred.com--the web's most popular workout music blog.

Rihanna & Calvin Harris - We Found Love - 128 BPM

Dev - In The Dark - 125 BPM

Afrojack & Eva Simons - Take Over Control - 128 BPM

LMFAO - Sexy And I Know It - 129 BPM

Chris Brown & Benny Benassi - Beautiful People - 129 BPM

Shortee & Faust - Friday Night Special - 133 BPM

Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne - Motivation (Rebel Rock Remix) - 130 BPM

Britney Spears - I Wanna Go (Oliver Remix) - 129 BPM

Young The Giant - My Body - 130 BPM

David Guetta & Usher - Without You - 128 BPM

To find more workout songs-and hear next month's contenders— check out the free database at RunHundred.com. Visitors can browse the song selections there by genre, tempo, and era-to find the music that best fits with their particular workout routine. 



Hope you all find some new gems out there. Would love to hear your new favorites, comment below!







Database Contact: 
Chris Lawhorn 
Run Hundred 
Email: Admin@RunHundred.com 

It's the quality of your food that counts, too.

We've probably all been told (or told ourselves), "If you can just stop eating chips (or sweets, or fast food), you'll be good to go". Well if only it was that simple!

We like to think that eating out is the enemy. And it is, to an extent. But if you're not keeping a careful eye on what you're fixing your family every night for dinner, it may not be much better than eating out.

Case in point; do you cook frozen pizza for dinner? How about breaded chicken tenders from the freezer? Maybe macaroni and cheese as a side with dinner? Take a peek at those labels. You may be surprised. All the calories, fat & sodium in these convenience foods is enough to make a grown man at least wince. Or enough to put on a few pounds. Just because you bought it from the store doesn't make it healthy. For instance, there's typically enough calories and fat in a 'side' of macaroni and cheese to just about equal what a whole dinner SHOULD be. Especially if you made it from a box.

Eating healthy and lean doesn't have to be complicated. You just have to be aware. Your homework is to check every label of every item you use regularly and look at the serving size too. Be honest with yourself. If the serving size of your spaghetti noodles says 1/3 cup, put 1/3 cup in a measuring cup, put it on the plate, and see what it REALLY looks like. Is that the amount you usually eat? Do the math and see what your dinners really stack up to be. On average, dinners usually shouldn't be more than about 400-500 calories, and full of whole grains, veggies and lean proteins. Lighter dinners can be easy. A simple, marinated boneless skinless chicken breast with a side of steamed veggies and a small helping of quinoa can be ready in less than 30 minutes. A light chicken casserole with brown rice can be very comforting and warm and also ready in about 30 minutes. Better yet, check out some slow cooker recipes. Look for things that use lean meats and non-rich sauces.

I'm happy to help vet ideas - or to send you recipes. Just email me! :) fithappy@yahoo.com - and as always, you can always sign up for free to have me as your fitness/health coach: just go www.TurboRomero.com & click join. Select the free option and I can help you with your fitness and diet goals. Or if you want extra information, the paid option has the added benefit of a wonderful, healthy meal planner & the recipes are actually REALLY tasty and filling.

In the meantime, check what you're cooking. Aside from calories, fat, sodium and all the other crazy stuff that's in convenience foods,  consider all the preservatives, hormones and other lovely things that they are stuffed with. Heck, even chicken nuggets are typically not real, whole chicken pieces. Sad, but true...and detrimental to losing weight and the overall health of your family...

~To Your Health~