I love my Curves:)

I am a woman and I embrace my curves!!! Yes that is right, I like that my hips sway back and forth a little when I walk, I love the curve in my lower back, yes I have a big chest and I never complained about the girls....so why am I writing about this???? Because I have heard a few woman say that they do not want to diet and loose weight because they like theie curves or do not want to lift and get bulky....I am here to say that you will not loose them.... you will enhance them by diet and exercise.

When you loose the extra fat around your hips and you loose belly fat your waist is more defined. Lifting and toning are arms, chest and back make you look leaner not bulky. As a woman our bodies are do not have enough testosterone in it to get the mass that you need to really bulk up. With P90X it gives you extra time to do lighter weights and more reps which is not only beneficial to your muscles but also to your bones. Bones grow and become stronger when they are subjected to stress. Stress is an event that threatens the supporting structures of the contracting musculature. Lifting weight provides that stress.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/114213-lifting-weights-good/#ixzz1QkyP27Kz

So, as a woman you can do P90X or any other workout program that men can do and you will still maintain your sexy self. Don't let another excuse get in your way to a leaner, curvy, sexy you:)

www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss

Ulcerative Colitis and Shakeology....A winning combination

Ulcerative Colitis and raw fruits and vegis do not mix and can do a number on your system. Therefore, if you have UC or any other digestive deaese you know that you are not getting the essential nutrition to for your body. So I tried Shakeology and I am off meds and my digestive system is better than ever.....

I was diadnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2004 and I have been on and off every medicine there was to treat my condition.....everything from Asacol, Flagil, Predizone to Remicade which all made me feel even more sick and the side effects of the meds were killing my immune system and my spirit. Everytime I would get a major flareup it took me months to get back on track and I had to eat mush bland even baby food to try to get some energy to get out of bed nevermind care for my children. I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired all the time!!! I knew things had to change....so I changed them!!!

In Feb 2011 I decided to take my health back into my own hands by commiting to P90X and doing the program no matter how tired or bad I may have felt. And the exercise was helping me loose the weight, tone up, gain some energy but I was so tired by the middle of the day I knew I needed more for my body to be able to keep up with the additional activity. That is when I was introduced to Shakeology...it changed my life and managed my UC.

So what is Shakeology?? It is premium nutritional health shake which contains powerful superfoods. It has everything in it: antioxidants, phytonutrients, enzymes, prebiotics, protein just to name a few. There are a so many ingredients that I can not even begin to list them all here. Having 1 glass of Shakeology
will increase your energy, reduce cravings, help you lose weight, improve digestion and regularity, and transform your health. I truly believe in the benefits of this shake and what it does for my UC....I am off all meds, I feel awesome and I no longer have no stomach or digestive issues. Even if you do not have UC, this drink will transform your health.

I am not a doctor and if you do suffer from UC, Colitis, Chrones or any other disease please consult your doctor before going off any meds. I needed a change and I know what my doctor would say...to stay on meds and take it...but I did this for me and it worked....I know this shake will benefit you...I truly would not write about it and be so passionate about someting I whole heartly did not belive in.

You can find out more about Shakeology under Products with the link below:
www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss

Oh....I love the chocolate flavor with chocolate Almond or Soy Milk....yummmo...come on my 3 yr old loves it!!

Why I do not take power walks anymore....it's not what you think

I live in Sussex County NJ and I love the hills, clean air, open road with little traffic so why do I refuse to take power walks??? BLACK BEAR!!!

I used to walk all the time and about 2 1/2 years ago I went for a walk with my daughter in the carriage while I was 6 months pregnant. I have seen a few bears that year, all taking my breath away, but that one crazy hot day was my last journey up and down the hills of my neighborhood. I was on my way home still about a mile or so away when I heard a rustling in the woods next to me...so I look over and saw 2 cute baby cubs that could not be more than a few months old playing a few feet away from me....my first instinct (was to hug and cuddle with them....I'm joking) it really was where is the mother....as I am thinking this my daughter is pointing to the other side of the road a few feet next to us. Yes that is right I am huge being pregnent with my oldest in the carriage between a mother bear and her babies. OMG....PANIC and SHOCK was like a wave that came over me and for a second I just froze.

Thankfully, I just walked away and the bear had no problems with that!!! So, that is why I do P90X in my basement at 5am safe and sound!!! Today I saw my first bear of the season and I was glad to say that myself and my children were safe and sound in the car!!!

Just because you are MOM doesn't mean you are not a WOMAN

Remember those days of wearing white and not having baby food stains, boogies, food all over your outfit??? Remember getting your feet done because you were going out with friends??? Remember spending a half hour in the shower shaving, scrubbing then moisturizing??? Well, why give any of that up because you have a baby...YOU ARE STILL A WOMAN!!!

I guess I am writing this post becuase as a mom I know that we let ourselves go to the back burner to care for our little ones. I see moms walk around with nasty feet, dry skin, frizzy hair and look so tired and I all hear are them being grouchy over everything. But why??? I mean take the time for you!!! Don't walk around with hammer toes because you do not have the time to clean, cut and file your nails....don't be so grouchy and tired and blame it on your kids....don't walk around a hairy moster....be that sexy self that you once were before kids...just because you are a mom does not mean you are not a woman!!!

I know because I was in that funk for a while and I did not care about the little things...I thought hey as long as I brush my teeth and wash may face I am good to go.....but again that was another excuse!!!  I know that doing P90X, gaining more energy, loosing weight and toning up gave me the confidence and self esteem back and I love the new revived woman I am!!! I love my curves, I love feeling silky smooth to the touch head to toe, I love having happy hormones (yes people who work out get happy harmones)!! I love taking care of by body not only by working out but also by the food I put into it....clean food and Shakeology does a body right:) Taking care of yourself brings you to a better place in your life....show the world that you are worth the next time to primp and prime yourself...why not...you did it before kids why not do it after???

The things I do for Protein

I saw that I ran out of my Beachbody Protein Shake and I could not wait for my next shipment to arrive so any excuse to get out the house with the kiddies I will jump on!!! So, as I head to the supermarket to pick up some Light Muscle Milk to hold me over I see crazy (yet beautiful) lightening and hear thounder so loud that I actaully get scared. So as I am shopping the skies open and it is crazy downpour...no biggie...we can just wait it out....so that is what we did....so I thought!?!?!

I am driving home with my kiddies in the back playing with their new toys (come on what else is a 3 yr old and a 21 month old going to do in a store for like a 20 mins...yes sucker mom unto buying toys that will be lost or broken in a few days) and I realize that we are driving right into the store....yes storm chaser with babies...I know not the brightest of ideas....

So every road is either flooded or there are trees down every where...the ride home that would take 15 mins was about 45....so I am on the back roads in the middle of the forrest and the sky lights up and I hear a big crack....holy s@#t....yes that is a tree that was hit by lightening right in front of me and a million sticks, branches and leaves start to fall....then I see where the tree was hit because it was taking up the road (ok can't turn back because the road home was close) so I went on someone's lawn and drove over the top of the tree. Let's just say...there were huge branches everywhere it was like I was driving in an obstecial course....scary...more so becuase of my kiddies who were enjoying the excitment, playing with their toy, singing Britney Spears...lol...yes I can laugh about it now because it is over but what an adventure for some protein.

Lesson learned: Wait for Beachbody Whey Protein to Arrive!!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss

FitMommaExpierence: Workout barefoot...WHAT!?!?

FitMommaExpierence: Workout barefoot...WHAT!?!?: "As a beachbody coach I talk to all different types of people and I try to get them the correct information when they ask me a question or ma..."

Workout barefoot...WHAT!?!?

As a beachbody coach I talk to all different types of people and I try to get them the correct information when they ask me a question or make a statement I do not agree with....yes, I take this very seriously!!! So, yesterday two different men told me that thay workout without sneakers....I was like wait you P90X...lift weights, do lunges, jump train and do cardio with your barefeet. My first reaction was that they were crazy and I told them that I did not think it was a good idea. But who am I to say that??? I mean I workout everyday, I read a lot about exercise and nutrition but I am no expert....so I went on the web. Apparently so did a lot of people and they all speak about/blog about this new trend of running/workingout barefoot.

I wanted to read what the experts were saying and speak to Podiatrist to get another point of view. Here is what I found....According to the podiatricjournel they found "Several statements are made about the advantage of barefoot running shoes, for example greater muscle groups power and also diminished overuse injuries, however, these promises aren't however sustained by research and also running medicine clinics are reporting that they are experiencing plenty of without footwear athletes with an stress fractures." The Mayo Clinic also agreed that a big no no in weight training is to wear shoes.

I wanted to dig a little deeper so I asked Dr. Dworkin a Podiatrist from Bayonne NJ (Also the head of the Bayonne Medical Center Wound Care Center) her opinion was "No one has a perfect support structure in their foot and by not having the support you are maximizing your risk of injury to any biomechincal flaws your structure already has." 

So my point is not to just listen to what you read about what your friends say....go to the experts....they know more about the subject then your average joe...I mean you would not go and get a facial from your plumber because he has great skin???

www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss


References: For your reading pleasure
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-training/SM00028/NSECTIONGROUP=2
http://podiatric.livejournal.com/6528.html

Baby=Ab Killer

Good Morning!!! So being pregnant does a number on your abs but giving birth to my son Benjamin was grueling and painful. Not only did I get over 200 pounds being pregnant with him but while giving birth to him I sprained, tore and ripped the majority of my abdomen muscles which left me with little to no muscle tone. So as with many moms with the left over pouch I want a flat washboard stomach again (lol...not sure if I had the washboard part) and doing P90X will get me there!!!! Well maybe???

I swear this kid does not want me to have a flat stomach because everytime I have to do AbRipperX he wakes up....not just wakes up but screams at the top of his lungs for me to get him. The days I do not have to do abs he will sleep until 7....so he must know that 3 times a week at 6:15ish I am trying to get that flat stomach again. I actually have tried to trick him twice.....seriously, I put the AbRipperx DVD in first and as I am doing the bicylces feeling the burn....what do I hear......yes you got it....Benjamin screaming!!! Really so now I do not get to do the main workout nor the Ab Ripper.

I bet most of you are saying to leave him....I just can't and as a mom I know you understand that hearing your little guy crying knowing his dipaer is wet and needs a changing that you just can not ignore it!!! Plus he shares a room with my daughter and it is not fair to her to have to hear him.

So....I think Benjamin is a monster....he is a Ab Killer!!!

Now what

Ok...so I have checked my Facebook account about a million times today, fed the kids, played with the kids, worked out, cleaned boogies, cleaned poopy diapers, took the kids to a petting farm, cooked dinner, worked for my medical billing job, chit chatted with some friends (since it is the only grown up conversations I have....talking about Elmo, and ABCs gets played out), cleaned up from dinner, did 3 loads of laundry and worked out at 5 am this morning...now what do I do for the rest of the night (besides put the kids to bed)???

There are a million things I can do (P90X Flyers, Shakeology Flyers, Balance Patient Accounts, more laundry) but really I do not even have enough energy at this point of the evening to think about what to do next. So I ask myself...am I really happy living my life this way??? I guess the short answer is yes because my babies are the best thing I ever did in my life and I would not trade anything in the world to be with them....but the big picture shows that I really need to stop and smell the roses. I used to be that way, before kids, before a million of chores stacked in front of me, two part time jobs...but trying to find balance is my main goal...balance for myself.

So I am starting to learn that my lifestyle change is not only with my body but it is also with my inner self....I want to smell the roses more and live in the moment not just worry and think about what is next:)

So I ask you...what have you done for yourself today??? Did you stop and smell the roses???

www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss

New To Blogging but EXCITED to get Started

Hi everyone:) I am new to blogging but I always seem to have a lot to say especially about my kids, life and my new job as an Independent BeachBody Coach. I am so excited to see what is going to come next as a coach and a mom of 2 little kids...I wonder where this path will lead me:)

So a brief background: I was diagnosised with Ulcertative Colitis in 2005 and was so sick for a long time. I went on every med in the book to try to get it under control including Predizone...so that is where my weight gain and unhappiness really began. After getting the ok from the doctors in 2007 to have a baby because my disease was under control, I got pregnent right away. Most woman stay in remission when they are pregant but nope....not me....I got so sick and was loosing so much blood they were scared for my baby so I went on Predizone again whicle being pregnant. I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl (Olivia) and kept my UC under control for a little bit; then instead of loosing my weight I found out I was pregnant again which of course for me meant I was sick again....so sick that Predizone no  longer was working and I had no strength to care for myself, my daughter and my growing baby inside of me so I went on Remicade as well. Thank goodness my son was born healthy and I again got my UC under control.....so where did this leave me...OVERWEIGHT, UNHAPPY, BLAH, so what did I do about it....NOTHING....ate more, slept as often as I could....not being a good example for my kids. Do not get me wrong I loved my kids and found so much happiness when I was with them...I was just not happy with myself....not at all.

I got tired of being tired and I knew that this was not a life I wanted to live and share with my husband and kids. Now, fast forward to about Jan 2011...there were family negativity and fighting (extended family issues...come on we all have at least 1 in the family), I was eating more than my body could handle, I was working too hard, taking care of the kids full time, the house, part time job doing medical billing and I was like...AGGGGAGGGHHHHH......I needed to do something for me....enough excuses (not enough time, too tired) I needed to change and fast because I thought I was going to loose my mind....so I researched at home workout programs and P90X kept on popping up....so one night after being up all night with my colicy baby, watching the infomercial for the 100th time I ordered it...

So, Feb 2011 right after my bithday I decided to commint to this program...hey I thought to myself "If I can carry these babies for 9 months and give up certian things for them...I can change my lifestyle for 90 days FOR ME"....and that is what I did.

I commited to it...I wake up everyday at 5am and workout until the DVD is done or one of my little munchkin faces wake up and take me away from the workout. I love P90X so much and I know it works!!! I truly believe in the total body benefits (more energy, muscle/strength, weight loss/self esteem) that I now am a Beachbody Coach helping others get to their goal to succeed. I really love having a job that is so rewarding...helping others while I help myself brings me happiness.

So yes for my blogs you will hear a lot about P90X and what a real woman/mom goes through on a daily basis....I hope you follow my journey to this new life but more I want you to join it with me....you can do it...you just have to want to put in the effort....decide and commit for youself!!!

Talk to you soon:)
and
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all of the awesome dads out there....and big hugs and kisses to my dad and hubby who are such great men and role models for my kids to look up to...love you

www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss