Super Friday in Pittsburgh

You guys! I can not seriously begin to tell you about this weekend. As I’m sitting here reflecting on everything, my head is spinning, overwhelmed and excited for 2015.

This weekend was a HUGE celebration for our TOP TEAM. Melanie was officially announced TOP coach out of over 260,000 so this was a “no question about it” were going and hello Carl Diakler and Autumn Calabrese were coming to town.

So, Beachbody has these quarterly events all over the US.  Different locations make it fun for everyone. We learn about the upcoming trips, product announcements, and training as well. Afterwards, most do a live workout.

There's my girl, Autumn

This is the second year we have made it to Pittsburgh for this event. We mainly stick in St. Louis for the rest of the years. We traveled last year because Michael Niemand from beachbody corporate was in town to congratulate Melanie on #2 coach and present her trip to Italy.

Talk about a group workout 

We got into town on Friday settled in, and got a quick Max 30 workout in  The Omni in Pittsburgh is absolutely GORGEOUS. One of THE most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in. We had a “white out” theme on Friday night for the actual event. All the attendees wore white and the Market council (who put the event together) wore black.  There were over 1,000 people at this event. They shared success stories, shared a 45 minute video of a little training, talked about our trip for 2016, and also announced a little secret that Beachbody will be rolling out later this year (stay tuned).  Melanie was presented, by Carl, with a top coach basket and her trip to Paris later this year. Alyssa Schomaker was also presented with a basket for #9 and her trip to Paris. Guys, these numbers are out of 260,000 coaches. How amazing is that? We have some seriously leaders on our team and we get top notch training as well. After the presentation was over the first 500 people who got a ticket, they got their picture with either Carl or Autumn. Such a hard decision but I chose Carl. I figured I had a better chance of meeting Autumn at Summit or another event. We went on to do a LIVE workout with Autumn from the 21 Day Fix EXTREME that will be releasing February 2^nd.  Such an intense workout for baby and I so we did the EXTRA modified version and did what we could. Still got a great sweat on and got to enjoy it.

Group workout with Autumn 

Saturday morning came with a 3 hour training from our top coaches on the Dream team. Here is a run down of what was covered:

Val Bozzo: Creating Killer confidence and inviting people

Marsha Smrcka: keys to setting the stage for success. And inviting

Carl & I

Deidra & Kaileigh

Val Bozzo

Melanie Mitro

Alyssa Schomaker

Katy Ursta

Marsha Smrcka

Alyssa Schomaker: top 10 tips to supercharge our business

Katy Ursta: Sweating for something bigger

Deidra Penrose & Kaileigh Hennessey: Identifying what type of coach you are & success partners

Melanie Mitro: short term sacrifices for long term happiness, developing systems, a recruiting game plan

Ended with a Q & A session from the top leaders on our team. With this it was so intriguing to hear how Beachbody has changed the lives of these coaches and what their best investment has been.

Q&A with the panel

I cannot wait to pass these tips to my coaches!

We grabbed lunch at this cute little place in the city not far from the hotel, but holy smokes this city is cold.

Saturday Night came with a HUGE celebration at Perle Champagne bar with dessert. We danced and mingled with everyone. It was such a great time.

As I am sitting here in the airport, waiting to board our flight to Chicago, I cannot help but to think abut how amazing beachbody has been to myself, mentally and physically. A passion I never I thought I would find with working in the typical 9-5 corporate world.  Knowing that I am helping transform lives is what I LIVE for. Its not about the paycheck it’s about the messages I get from clients and my team that make me tear up and makes everything so real that I am doing what I was suppose to be doing all my life.

I hope that each and everyone of you that read my blog are following your dreams and have been in touch with your passion and what you are suppose to be doing. It’s such a blessing.

XOXO,

SJB

TurboFire Chili

Ok, so I am seriously obsessed with this meal!  It is absolutely delicious and you can make it in the crock pot!  I have friends that do not like beans so they omit them and add green peppers, mushrooms or any other veggie you would like!  You can really make it your own!  Just remember to follow the correct portion sizes so you don't over indulge.  It's easy to do with this one.

Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground turkey
½ cup diced tomatoes

8 oz. whole kernel corn, canned
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
8 oz. black beans, canned
8 oz. pinto, chili, or kidney beans canned
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 package Lawry’s chili seasoning
4 oz. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions. Brown turkey. Drain and discard any fat. Place all ingredients except cheese into a slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Top with 1 oz cheese if desired.

XOXO,
SJB
Independent Beachbody Coach

What is Insanity MAX 30?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and also got some good Cyber Monday deals!  Speaking of deals, did you know that Shaun T, creator of programs like Hip Hop Abs, Insanity, T25, etc)  is coming out with a NEW fitness program?  It's called Insanity Max 30 and is going to be the next crazy insane fitness program that will give you unbelievable results!  So, I am loving every minute of these newer Beachbody fitness programs that are continually being released because they have been about 30 minutes or less!  Surely you can block out 30 minutes of your day, right?

Insanity Max 30 is all about pushing yourself to the limit.  It is taking home fitness programs to the EXTREME next level in just 30 minutes a day!  This is definitely a hardcore workout that will take dedication, motivation, and solid effort.  It is almost like a mental game of how far you can push yourself before you MAX OUT!  

I am super excited for this workout to come out and will be running an exclusive Insanity Max 30 test group beginning Monday, December 8th.  

So, what exactly IS Insanity Max 30?  Let me tell you a little about it so you can decide if you think it would be a good fit for you. 

Who is Insanity Max 30 for?

Before you rule out this program due to it's intensity, let me start by saying that there is a low-impact modifier in every workout.  The program actually comes with with a special feature so that the modifier stays on the screen at all times!  For those of you who have followed a modifier in other programs, you have probably run in to the issue of not being able to see exactly how to modify a move until several seconds in to a specific exercise. This will not be a problem with Max 30.  Setting the option and having the modifier on the screen at all times will make it easier to see and easier to follow. 

While there is no denying that this is an intense workout, a beginner who is looking to really jump start their fitness journey using an intense workout, or someone who is looking to take their fitness to the next level, would be a perfect candidate for Insanity Max 30.  When it comes down to it, it's not about being in great shape to handle the workout, it's about showing up every day and pushing yourself to YOUR max. 

What does it mean to "Max Out?"

The idea of "maxing out" isn't actually bad.  That's the point!  What you do is you go as hard as you can for as long as you can until you need a break, or until you MAX OUT!  Then, you write down your time, take your break, and jump back in! If you stick with the program and stay committed to your results, then you will notice that your max out time increases each week.  

Insanity Max 30 - 5 days a Week

What are the Insanity Max 30 workouts?

Insanity Max 30 is a 60 day program with two 30 day phases. You will be happy to hear that it is 30 minutes per day / 5 days per week. In addition, you get to switch up your workouts for the second month.  On a recent webinar, Shaun T talked about his incorporation of Tabata workouts. In the Tabata workouts you do 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off power moves.  During month two, those intervals increase to 45 seconds on and 15 seconds off.  

During month one, there are 2 cardio workouts, two strength workouts, and the Max 30 Friday Fight. 

Insanity Max 30 - Cardio Challenge

Insanity Max 30 - Sweat Intervals

Insanity Max 30 - Tabata Power

Insanity Max 30 - Tabata Strength

Insanity Max 30 - Friday Fight Round 1

  During month two, you incorporate Max Out Cardio, Max Out Sweat, 2 Tabata strength workouts, and again, the Friday Fight Round 2. 

Insanity Max 30 - Max Out Cardio

Insanity Max 30 - Max Out Sweat

Insanity Max 30 - Max Out Power

Insanity Max 30 - Max Out Strength

Insanity Max 30 - Friday Fight Round 2

So, overall, you get 10 workout DVD's, a MAX out Nutrition Guide, Restaurant Guide, and a Wall Calendar with your scheduled workouts.  When ordering through a Coach, like myself, you will also get a Coach Exclusive workout called Sweat Fest! 

If you are considering Insanity Max 30, there are a few options that you can choose from.  You can get the base kit, the deluxe kit, or the challenge pack.  So what's the difference?  The base kit (pictured below) will include everything described above.  

The challenge pack (which will be the December promotion - which means the best bang for your buck - will include the base kit AND a 30 day supply of Shakeology.

Insanity Max 30 Base Kit

The Delux Kit (picture below) takes it up a notch and incorporates some extras including workouts, a Shakeology shaker cup, and portion control containers.  21 Day Fixers will be happy to know that the Insanity Max 30 nutrition plan DOES support the use of the 21 Day Fix containers!  

Insanity Max 30 Deluxe Kit

How can you get it?

Insanity Max 30 will be released on December 9th; however, you will be able to get it through me a week earlier, which is THIS TUESDAY, December 2nd!!  If you don't already have a coach, you can sign up for a free membership (so that I am your coach) HERE!  

Exclusive Insanity Max 30 Test Group:

December 8th will begin an exclusive Insanity Max 30 Test Group.  If you are interested in joining and/or getting more info, please email me.  There will be limited availability within the group and spots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. 

Requirements of the Challenge Group:

• Insanity Max 30 Challenge Pack - includes the Base Kit (explained above), a one month supply of Shakeology, discounted shipping, and me as your coach!   The challenge pack will be a December promotion, plus it has everything you need to get started!

The Test group will include complete guidance, support, motivation, and accountability through the duration of the 60 day program.  I will incorporate weekly meal planning, post my personal meal plans, and everyone will replace one meal per day with Shakeology.   Truthfully, it is perfect timing to have Shakeology.  At this time of year we are tempted with lots of sweets.  Shakeology is a nutritionally dense meal replacement that provides you with your daily dose of nutrients.  When doing a workout such as Insanity Max 30, your body will need to be replenished with nutrients for recovery. Shakeology also has the proper carb to protein ratio which will help keep you feeling fuller, longer. There are all kinds of yummy "treat" recipes that you can make that will help you stay on track through the holiday season too!

So, what do you say?  Are you in?!  As your coach, I will not only be going through the program WITH you, but I will provide you with the support to stick with it and get GREAT results!  It will not become another fitness program that collects dust!  

Be sure to email me for more information and/or to join the exclusive test group!

In addition, feel free to send me a Facebook Friend Request so that you can see some great tips, motivation, recipes, and meal plans that I share throughout the week!

XOXO,

SJB

Independent Beachbody Coach 

What's this PLUS ONE nonsense all about?

October 16th has always been a day I remember. Two days before my birthday. 2014 made it different.


Here is our story......

We've been married for over 3 years and have loved every single moment TOGETHER. I can not get enough of my husband. We knew we've always wanted to have kids when the time was right. Over the years we've gotten asked SO many times, "when are you having kids?", "you know your up next for kids", or my favorite from a coworker of mine that basically said I needed to start having kids because (at that time) I was turning 28.  I sat back and thought WOW I really am getting to "THAT" age where its time to start popping out kids or should've already been. Little did anyone know what was going on behind the smile that we wore when people asked us.

If you don't know me, my life revolves around a plan. I had this plan. I wanted my child's birthday in March. So what do I do next? I stopped my anxiety medication in mid February when I left a VERY STRESSFUL job. Next up, my lifeline to clear skin.....  my pills. I stopped taking my birth control in June and I would get pregnant RIGHT AWAY and have a baby due in MARCH. Why March?  It was the beginning of Spring, which I love, and no one else had a birthday. The weeks rolled by and nothing was happening. I began to get sad about it. I had so many thoughts wondering through my head, "what if were not able to get pregnant?" "we should've started sooner", "OMG, my age may be making a different." My husband would console me and tell me that it will happen we just have to give it time. Months rolled by. My stress would continue to fluctuate but would be able to control that on my own. No matter how hard I tried, I tried not to think about the family that we wanted so badly. There was a point in early September this wasn't the time and sure enough it wasn't. I came to a point where I was okay with not having my child born in March. Life throws us curve balls and somethings don't go as planned. This made me live a little more adventurous. This was happening for a reason. I texted my husband, "everything happens for a reason and we weren't dealt this if we were not able to handle it."  After many discussions with people and co workers, we finally decided it was time to call my Dr. to schedule a time to come in just to make sure everything is working right.

Wednesday, October 15th 2014.
Made the call I have been dreading to my Dr. "We are having a little problem with getting pregnant, it's just not working out for us." The nurse scheduled me to come into the office on Monday, October 20th at 1:10PM. Alright, now I have to figure out how I am going to get off work without letting my office know. At this point, not many people but our close family and a few friends know we are trying to get pregnant. Email sent to my boss and afternoon off was approved. GREAT. Never looked towards a Monday so bad before.

Thursday, October 16th 2014
My sister, brother-in-law, and my nephews came over so I could color my sister's hair. We had a huge discussion about why I shouldn't be running the half marathon on that coming Sunday (10/19/14) due to a knee injury I sustained late August. I was determined to do it. My sister's family left, sat with my husband watching the Cardinals game. Out of nowhere, I told my husband that I was going to take a test because this coming weekend would involve a lot of booze for my birthday.

9:47 PM: longest 3 minutes of my life......
Okay, there's one line and there is a second line that is lighter. No, no. I was so use to the single line coming up in previous tests. I pulled out the directions and read under the pregnant description, " second line may appear lighter." Holy shit I am PREGNANT. I call my husband to come to the bathroom and check this out. No Way. "OMG, I need to call my mom." After us sitting there in awe I told my husband I needed another test and I would take tomorrow morning. He left for the store and I went to shower. Still in shock that there were 2 lines. My husband came back and insisted on me taking the test that night and told him I would take it the next morning.

Friday, October 17th 5am....
Test says, "YES +." Un freaking believable. I woke up my husband. I couldn't believe it. I sat at my desk all morning before work just in complete shock. I called my Dr. on the way to work and sure enough "Congratulations, your about 4 weeks." Soooo that's why my stomach was hurting and that's why I've been so exhausted. Holy smokes I AM PREGNANT. I took my lunch break and searched EXPECTING for 30 minutes straight and everything I found, I relayed to my husband. We were in zombie mode. We could not believe it.

Did I mention that we had planned a whole birthday weekend for me filled with dinners & a trip to the winery?

My nerves were going crazy, we had to somehow not let anyone know that we were expecting. Throughout the afternoon, we tried to go through every single thing we could think of and ultimately, we told my family at dinner and went to my in laws and told them as well. Both families could not be more excited for us.

Nerves calmed.

Needless to say, we made it through the weekend and lips were sealed. It still hasn't hit us yet. We go on November 17th for our first dr appointment and our first ultrasound. I think once we seen our little bean on the screen, it will all become real.

We are so excited to share our journey with you. These next 9 months can not go soon enough.

XOXO,
SJB
Independent Beachbody Coach.


Week 5
Monday, October 27th.

It's still so surreal for us. We are counting down the days until we go to the dr. to see our little one. I am loving this time right now when NO ONE knows but our families & my husband's boss. Such a beautiful and private time that I will cherish.

How am I feeling?
I am feeling pretty good. Earlier last week I was exhausted so we watched more t.v. then normal after work and caught up on some much needed sleep. I have had a bit of cramping but according to what  I have read on apps that I have downloaded, seems normal. I have been in contact with my Dr. earlier last week regarding basic nutrition questions. Guess who gets to keep drinking her SHAKEOLOGY?!?!?!  One healthy baby on the way.

ONE HAPPY MOMMA TO BE!

XOXO,

SJB


 Week 6-9 & first doctor appointment   
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Well, the full effects of feeling fatigued, "morning sickness", and indigestion has fully set in. I just
started feeling normal again on Monday. Instead of "morning sickness" it should be called "longest hangover ever feeling". I would be fine in the morning and throughout the day, but the second I showered and went to bed it was almost instant. Slept sitting up for a couple days due to the horrible indigestions which then would make me feel more sick then I already was.

I knew that you would be exhausted and sleep a lot in the first trimester, but holy smokes, I didn't think going to bed at 8PM and sleeping 10 hours would be that. It was the same routine every night for about 3 weeks: come home, eat dinner, shower, bed. My poor husband was left to hang out a lot but he has been the biggest trooper with getting things I need or rubbing my back to make me feel better.

 Back to working out on a regular basis after I took last week off to sleep. The cravings have been so strange. All I have been wanting is cereal. I haven't had cereal in a year! Today was Lion's Choice & tacos. I have been doing well throughout the day with my snacks and breakfast. Shakeology here and there.

I am learning when to limit my body and when I am full. This is a whole new experience that my husband and I are going through together and learning so much. I am learning about my body, more then I would ever of thought.

Here we are with 9 full weeks under our belt and we are more excited then ever.

First doctor's appointment:

First family picture

Ahhh we made it through it. It was on Monday, November 17th. The day we have been waiting for, for a month and to finally feel that this dream is REAL. We were nervous, but super excited. We had no idea what to expect. We got the ultrasound done first. There is a BABY there. my heart just flutters  saying that. The heart beat is strong at 170. Everything is looking good according to the ultrasound tech and when my doctor looked over the results as well.
Blood work was also done. Got those results back today and everything is look GOOD!

Bump pictures will be coming soon as well. Starting those this week.

I don't ever want to wake up from the dream we are finally living. Such a beautiful thing.

For now friends.

XOXO,
SJB

Black Friday is coming EARLY.

It’s that time of year again! I cannot believe it. Who doesn’t love a good sale?!?! I have been a coach for 1 1/2 years and this company really knows how show the savings. I mean, up to 77% off, REALLY???  

 

So with a good sale……………….. I am excited to announce that Beachbody is kicking off its Black Friday Sale Tuesday, November 25^th (by 5pm PST) until Tuesday, December 2^nd. Limited quantities and these will sell out before the 2^nd. Some of the items will sell out within hours. THESE. ARE. HOT. DEALS.

 

Many of your favorite programs will be discounted. What is a better way to celebrate the healthiest time of year then splurge on someone else?

 

Take a look at the amazing savings below.

TurboFire® Original Kit
TurboFire® Deluxe DVDs + Journal
P90X® + FREE P90X Plus
P90X2® + FREE P90X Plus
P90X3® + FREE P90X Plus
LES MILLS PUMP
LES MILLS COMBAT + FREE COMBAT Gloves
Slim Series®
INSANITY: THE ASYLUM® Vol. 1
Hip Hop Abs® Dance Party Series - Rockin' Abs/Hard Body DVD
Barbell Weights
LES MILLS COMBAT Gloves
Barbell with Speed Safety Clips
Ultimate Reset Dry Brush
Beachbody® Jump Mat
Stability Ball + Medicine Ball Combo Pack
Step with 4 Risers
Women's Apparel
Men's Apparel Want to be the first in the loop and get the deals? Simply, log into  www.beachbodycoach.com/mrsbender to create a free account and shop till you drop!

XOXO, 

SJB

Independent Beachbody Coach 

Salsa Chicken

I was in need of a new recipe so I spent some time searching on my favorite websites.  I came across this one from HeandSheEatClean.com and figured I'd give it a try!  I LOVE crock pot meals, especially ones that don't have a lot of ingredients!  I have to say, it made my kitchen smell fantastic all day long and was absolutely delicious! 

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 large diced tomatoes

1.5 cups (roughly) of your favorite salsa.  (I actually pre-made Homemade Salsa to keep it a bit cleaner)

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper (if you want to make it spicy)

Directions:

1. Place the chicken in a crock pop, as well as all of the other remaining ingredients.

2. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

3. After 7 hours, shred the chicken in the crock pot and allow it to cool down before serving.  

 **Before serving, I added some diced onions, red and green bell peppers, and a little lime to enhance the flavor! 

This meal makes for GREAT leftovers!  You can serve it with brown rice (which is what I did), wrap it up in a whole wheat tortilla, serve in salad, or even eat it as a lettuce wrap! 

XOXO,
SJB
Independent Beachbody Coach

I. AM. BACK.

Happy Friday friends!

 

I have been MIA for a bit on here. Its been a crazy couple of months. My husband and I were been going non stop this summer with being out of town or jammed packed almost every single weekend so we we're finally settling down and doing things around the house we haven’t done in mehhhhhhhhhhhhh 6 months.

Where have I been?

 

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve seen me post about my knee injury late August. It has honestly thrown me off track a good couple of weeks. I didn’t work out for 2 weeks. Sifted through my programs to see which would be the best fit for my goals and avoiding any additional damage to my knee. I have not ran in a month and has mentally affected me. When I run, I let all my thoughts out. It’s my way of releasing the craziness of the days. I had a goal to finish my 2^nd half marathon on October 19^th. I have been going back and forth on this for some time if I should even run it. My knee hurts day to day, so my mind is constantly changing on this decision. I am a coach. I am encouraging people to reach for their goals & dreams. I am telling myself I can do this run, but there is a side of me that doesn’t want that additional injury. Decisions, decisions. Let me tell ya.

I am sitting here 2 days before the run and I have officially decided to run the 5K. My sister was over last night and thought I was crazy to still wanting to do it and then I told her I hadn't trained since Labor Day, so now she is worried about the distance. I have had this pit feeling in my stomach for about 2 weeks that I would end up in the hospital from my knee and we've got plans to go to the winery to celebrate my birthday.  Smart decision made. 

My apologies for all my followers who have helped me through this little halt. I am feeling great on what's to come. 

Chat with ya soon.

XOXO,

SJB

Independent Beachbody Coach