Transformation Tuesday: Susan O.

Transformation Tuesday: Susan Ohling

I was only 39 and was so incredibly unhappy with life. My negative attitude about how I looked and felt was taking a toll on my 4 kids, my marriage, and myself. I hated putting on a bathing suit to go out on our boat or to the beach, so I always came up with an excuse. I was becoming a hermit—all because of how I felt about myself regarding my weight gain and muscle loss. I used to be an avid gym goer; it was my home away from home. But as the years passed and life got busy, I put exercise on the back burner and I royally paid for it. 

I knew I needed to lose weight, but how? Doing what? Then one day I saw my friend, Kelly R., transformation photos on Facebook and thought…hmmm, I can do that! And next thing you know, I WAS doing that. I joined her virtual Fit Club and less than a week later, we were taking a road trip to Miami to meet Carl Daikler—CEO of Beachbody—for a Team Beachbody event. When I saw the people there and heard their stories, I knew this Beachbody thing wasn't a joke. If only I had found Beachbody years ago.

The first program I chose was Brazil Butt Lift® but quickly realized I wasn’t ready for all the squats, so then I turned to ChaLEAN Extreme, which was a perfect match. Chalene is so motivating that it's like having a personal trainer in my home. I love this program so much that I haven't missed a workout yet. So not only did I start exercising again, I completely revamped my diet. Now I drink Shakeology every morning and am a firm believer that it truly is a miracle potion! Every morning I wake up it's there on my counter top with a big beam of light around it. Shakeology has boosted my energy, improved my digestion, and has made my hair and skin look so much healthier. This stuff’s amazing; I don't know what I'd do without it!

I also don’t know what I would have done without my amazing Coach, Kelly, or my super supportive Challenge Group. I asked God to put new people in my life to help me get out of this rut, and 3 days later I joined TBB. And in just 3 short months I lost 15 pounds and can finally do real pushups! Plus, I have a much better outlook on life and am always in a good mood. I’m also now very conscious about what goes into my body, which means no more coffee or sodas—and the funny thing is, I don’t miss that stuff one bit. And slowly but surely, I’m weaning my kids and my husband off that junk, too. 

I can't wait to go to my annual doctor visit next month so I can show her how much my body has changed. I’m so proud of what I’ve accomplished, but this is just the beginning. And what a great beginning it has been!

If you're looking for results like Susan's and need someone to help YOU, contact me TODAY at cgranberrytaylor@gmail.com !! 

House Hunting: Fun or Headache??

House Hunting...

Fun or total headache???

 

 

    If you know my family personally, you know that we've been house hunting...for what seems like forever. A lot of people that I spoken to think that the hunt is the most fun part about finding your forever home, others believe that it's a total headache. So far, I'm in between those extremes. We've found a few homes that we really love, now it's time to make the BIG decision! And, trust me, it is a huge decision -- my husband and I have very different design and décor ideas and to find more than one home that we both agree on incredible.

 

 

    Here is a shot of the outside of the two homes, what are YOUR thoughts? Which home would you choose if it were up to you and your family?  (Based on the exterior only...the interior of the homes are both very similar, one has a basement, one does not.) Let me hear YOUR opionions! 

Tasty Thursday: Clean Eating Danish Meatballs

TASTY THURSDAY

(recipe from the Gracious Pantry)

 

Clean Eating Danish Meatballs

(Makes 40 meatballs)

Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 package ground turkey meat (about 1 1/2 lbs, give or take.)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried onion
• 1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 whole egg

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if you use prepared stock or broth)
• 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. If you want to have a grain with this dish, put on a pot of brown rice or some whole wheat noodles while you make this recipe.
3. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. Place all the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix with your hands until well blended.
5. Roll the meat blend into small (about 1 inch in diameter) balls and place on your cookie sheets. You can place them somewhat close together. They don’t spread during baking. Just be sure there is some room between them so the heat can circulate well around them. On a standard cookie sheet, I got about 20.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until they reach at least 170 degrees F. I baked mine a little longer just to get a nice golden “glow” to them.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. (Enough so you don’t burn yourself!)
8. Once the meatballs are in the oven, move on to making the sauce. Both should finish about the same time.
9. While the meatballs are in the oven, place your olive oil and flour in a medium-sized pot.
10. Warm this mixture over medium-high heat. It will be “paste-like” at first. But then it’ll get a little “crumbly”.
11. Once you have crumbs, slowly add your chicken stock/broth stirring vigorously with a whisk. The idea is to get the crumbs to dissolve into the broth. Once dissolved, add your salt (optional), dill and garlic. Allow the mixture to simmer slightly until it has thickened a bit.
12. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pot from the stove. Whisk in your yogurt, and the sauce is done!
13. Combine the sauce and meatballs and you’ve got a fantastic meal!

Worship Wednesday : Are you blessed with certain talents?

WORSHIP WEDNESDAY

 

Romans 12: 6-8    

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

Are you blessed with certain talents?

 

   Some would say that I am blessed with the talent of art. I've always enjoyed drawing, painting, crafting, and most other artistic endeavors. Some could even say that using that gift or talent, if you will, was my release. I could be in my own little world while painting and it was something that I could do at ANY time before I had children.

 

   After having my boys and really, after going to work full time, I traded my talent for that of stability. When I was working, I didn't have time because I was working all..the..time. Since trading a full time job for full time parenting, I have traded my talent for that of an orderly house and well behaved, well loved, well educated children.

    And, just when I thought certainly that I would never get to use or exercise my talent again, my mother's decorating and design business took off. And, she wanted to have an added value that she could give to her clients. I immediately offered to paint something for her. How cool to have an original piece of artwork in your home, right?  Right...I think.

    It was only after I got home that it really sunk in what I had offered. I had not painted ANYTHING in well over 5 years...much less a large piece to be featured in someone's vacation home. Oh goodness...

    She requested a blue crab. She was decorating a beachside condo. So, I went to work...the piece ended up around two feet high by three feet wide. This is where I started.
   

 

And, this is where it ended. It was a fun, colorful piece and my mom loved it. I'm waiting to hear what the client thought.

                                   
    And, during the time I spent on the painting...I reclaimed my love for art. I remembered WHY I enjoyed it and it wasn't just for ME.  It was because I enjoyed seeing and hearing others reactions to my artwork. It may not be incredible or breathtaking to a lot of people, but it may make others stop and wish that they could share a talent like mine.

 

    Then, I read my daily devotion -- the scripture at the top of this post -- and it hit me that I should continue to share my talent with others. It is a God-given talent and one He instilled in and trusted ME with and THAT is pretty awesome. So, even if YOU don't necessarily enjoy it, I will continue to use this blog as a medium to share my talent with the world. (Although, I do hope you enjoy it and are INSPIRED to share YOUR talent with ME and OTHERS!) <3 

 

 

God bless ya'll! 



Transformation Tuesday: Marciel M.

 

Transformation Tuesday - Marciel M.

 

(in her own words)

"Before I started TurboFire, I was depressed, lonely and defeated. Ever since elementary school, I was teased for being fat. In fact, I heard it so much, I just stopped caring. I felt like there was nothing left for me to do except accept that I was fat and live the way I was living—eating fast food, lounging around and doing nothing.

But when I developed sleep apnea, weighed in at 253 pounds, and my doctors said I was morbidly obese, that’s when I knew I had to do something. I knew I didn’t want to take blood pressure medication for the rest of my life. And when my doctors tried to get me on a diet program that would cost $3,000 a month, I knew I could do better.

So I found a Beachbody Coach and started doing TurboFire. TurboFire was awesome. To my surprise, it was actually fun. I mean, it was hard, but I loved the energy Chalene gave me. Plus, I also got the best spot in the class. So I kept going.

And every time I felt like giving up, my Coach, Kelli helped me fight through every bump I came across. She gave me the accountability I needed. Thanks to her, I made it through—and lost over 100 pounds. I used to wear XXX-Large t-shirts and now I wear a small!!! I went from size 18 pants, and now I’m down to a size 7.

I don’t have sleep apnea any more—and I’ve stopped taking my blood pressure medication!

My life has changed so much. I’m much more positive. I love my life. I love fitness. And I’ve become a religious user of Beachbody products. I believe the combination of Shakeology, TurboFire, LES MILLS PUMP, INSANITY, and ChaLEAN Extreme helped me get rid of all the health problems I had.

Shakeology helped my digestion, stopped my cravings, curbed my appetite, and gives me so much energy. As a student with very little extra time, it’s a real Godsend. But then again, so is my Coach. Without her support and her accountability, I don’t know if I would have been able to transform my life. When I started my journey, she asked me to define my goals, then worked with me to make sure I didn’t give up.

Now that I’ve reached them, I couldn’t be happier—or more thankful."

If you need the type of support and encouragement that Marciel got from her coach, please feel free to email me at cgranberrytaylor@gmail.com -- I would love to help you!

Program Spotlight: Focus T25

 

 

So, you may or may not have heard of this incredible program, since it is BRAND SPANKIN' NEW!  But, this program is going to revolutionize getting fit. It's the EXCUSE-BUSTING workout program that people have been seeking. No more hour long workout sessions for you, because you are going to have FOCUS T25.

 

 

Focus T25 is the latest collaboration from Shaun T (of Insanity fame) and Beachbody, LLC...the world leader in at-home fitness programs. The program was born of Beachbody founder, Carl Daikeler's, need for a shorter workout so that he could spend more time with his kids in the mornings. It's roots are in Shaun T's Insanity Fast and Furious 20 minute workout. So, read on to find out more about this awesome program!

 THE BASICS:

• Every workout in this program is 25 minutes.
• The schedule for the program is 5 days per week for Monday-Friday.
• You do a different workout each day of the week.
• The entire program is 10 weeks long with two phases which are each 5 weeks
• The Alpha Phase is the first phase which is 5 weeks. There is no equipment, no weights, and it’s a progressive workout where the focus is on getting the correct form. Shaun T described it as “Gym Class 101″. So, regardless of your current fitness level, you can do this!
• The Beta Phase is the second phase which is also 5 weeks. This is where you ramp it up a notch and use what you learned in the first phase to work hard. This phase is all about strengthening your core.
• There is an optional Gamma Phase that can be purchased separately as an add-on which is where he starts to incorporate weights.
• This workout is awesome for both men and women. If the program is too intense, you can always follow the modifier named Tania who does a lower-impact version of all of the moves.

What does Focus T25 include?

• 11 Workouts on 9 DVDs that are each exactly 25 minutes
• 10-Week Schedule for the Alpha and Beta Phases showing you which workout to do each day
• Red resistance bands which you’ll use in the Beta phase
• 5-day Quick-start Guide including a workout schedule and menu plan
• T25 ‘Get it Done’ Nutrition Guide with recipes and meal plans
• BONUS – If you order through a coach like me, you’ll also get the “Core Speed” bonus DVD.
• Info on how to get a FREE “T25 – Nailed It!” T-shirt from Beachbody.
• With the Challenge Pack, you’ll also get a 30-day supply of Shakeology in your choice of flavor: Chocolate, Vegan Chocolate, Vegan Tropical Strawberry, Greenberry or the NEW Vanilla flavor.
• And, you get ME as your coach to support you through the program.

Focus T25 Schedules for the Alpha and Beta Phases

Here are the 5- Week Schedules for the Alpha and Beta phases. You’ll workout Monday-Friday, take your measurements on Saturday, and Stretch on Sunday.

If you are interested in learning more about the program and how YOU can purchase it, please feel free to shoot me an email at cgranberrytaylor@gmail.com or head over to http://www.beachbodycoach.com/cgtaylor85 and have a look around!

 

Transformation Tuesday : Jeffrey H.

Meet Jeffrey H., he's a big inspiration to me and should be to you, too.

     Want to know how to balloon up to 385 pounds by age 35? Grow up gorging on all the junk food your mom hid (but not very well) and become the fattest kid in class who gets picked on every day of his life. Then move into adulthood and choose a job that keeps you on the road for 10 to 14 hours a day, eat TWO Mickey D’s Steak, Egg & Cheese bagel sandwiches and a LARGE soda, or a chocolate brownie Pop-Tart every morning for breakfast, then chase it with more fast food at lunch.

     Want to know I lost 130 lbs. in 18 months and changed my life forever? It all started when my dad shocked the heck out of me when he said he’s surprised that I made it to my 35th birthday because he always thought I’d die early due to my unhealthy lifestyle. And the clincher was when my size 48 shorts and my 5XL t-shirts were getting tight on me. If those two things aren’t inspiration to change, nothing is. So how’d I do it? With two rounds of P90X, one round of INSANITY, one round of INSANITY/P90X hybrid, two rounds of Asylum, and a whole lot of Shakeology. So why did I start with P90X? Because a friend of mine was doing the program and was getting great results—and I thought if he can do it, so can I. So I did it. It took a while. But I did it!!!

     Like everyone always says, the workouts were only part of the transformation process. Revamping my diet was the other. And boy was that hard. Thankfully I had Shakeology, which was great because it helped so much with getting the correct nutrition in my body every single day. Before Shakeology, I was diagnosed as a pre-diabetic, but after drinking Shakeology for 2 ½ years, I’m finally a “normal person” and am not on any medications.

     Since my journey began in August 2010, my life has changed in so many ways. Now I have so much energy it’s not even funny. I'm doing things I never imagined I’d ever do in my life, like running 5 and 10K’s, and doing The Warrior Dash. My shoulders are more defined, my legs are skinnier, I’m seeing muscles I didn’t even know I had, and I’m starting to see the excess skin on my belly shrink back into itself.

     When I first started my journey, I was popping 10 prescription pills a day. I was taking 3 blood pressure pills, 2 cholesterol pills, a painkiller, a bladder pill, a sleeping pill, an anti-depression pill, and a heart pill! Today, I’m proud to say that I’m on ZERO meds. ZEEEERRRRRRROOOOOOO!!!!!!!

     Right now I’m doing LES MILLS PUMP and am continuing to lose weight. So far I’ve lost 54 inches off my body and 26% body fat. The old me wore a size 50 pant, but today I wear a 34 and those are getting big on me! My starting weight was 385 lbs., today I weigh in at 225—that’s a 160-pound difference. I haven’t been this weight since middle school, and that was 20 years ago. Never in my life have I had so much energy; even as a kid I didn’t have this kind of energy. It’s absolutely amazing! Thank you Beachbody. Because of you, I get to celebrate many more birthdays.