How to find the right workout program for you

Hello, all!  It is a lovely, rainy day here in Wilmington and I am very glad I don't have to go out and head to the gym to do my workout!  That is one of the major perks of working out at home--I don't have to go anywhere!  Today I want to talk a little bit about how to find the right workout program for you.  After all, if you don't like a workout, you're probably not going to do it and fitness should be fun!  You shouldn't dread doing your workout every day. 

With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming when trying to find a program that works for you.  And let's be honest:  how much can you really find out about a program by reading a brief description online?  Not to mention the fact that there are so many opinions that are biased and just talk about how great the workout is without really saying anything about what it entails.  Let me share with you some things to consider when looking for a workout program.

1. Think about what you like to do.  If you like to run and do cardio, find a cardio-based workout.  If you like to play sports, find a training program like Asylum.  If you like lifting weights, find a program that focuses on that.  Whatever you like to do, I promise, there is program out there for you! 
2. Think about your goals.  We already talked about writing down your goals.  Once you know what they are, you can start to get more information about programs that focus on helping you reach those goals.  If you want to increase flexibility, you would get a workout that incorporates a lot of flexibility training.  If you want to gain muscle, a program that is primarily strength-training would be for you.
3. Be honest with yourself about your ability level.  Okay, this is a tricky one.  What exactly I mean by this is two-fold.  First, if you are a beginner, don't jump into an advanced program.  You will get frustrated, won't see results, and won't finish the program.  Same goes if you are advanced.  Doing a beginning program may not give you what you're looking for in terms of results.  But, that doesn't mean you have to label yourself and limit yourself to only specific workouts.  A beginner can modify more advanced workouts and work up to the next level and an advanced exerciser can use a less-intense program to take a break from intense workouts.  Just know what level you are and what level the workout is before you start.  Second, once you have started the program, do not cheat yourself!  Don't say, "Oh, I can't do that, I'm just starting out" or "I can't lift that heavy!"  You will be surprised how much you can actually do and how strong you are.  Take a risk and do one or two reps and then modify if you have to.  This will give you more confidence and take you to the next level faster!   
4. Take into consideration the length of the workouts and the length of the program.  Determine how much time you are willing to commit to a workout program.  There are 21-, 30-, 60-, 90-, even 120-day programs.  Think about how much time you want to give yourself to get results and how long you can commit to a particular program without getting bored.  Also, be honest with yourself about how much time you have in your day to work out.  If you only have 30 minutes, don't get a program where each workout is an hour.  You can get a fantastic workout in a short amount of time if you pick the program that best matches your needs and go hard the entire time.
5. Find out what equipment you'll need.  You've spent the money on the program, so the last thing you want to do is spend hundreds of dollars on equipment.  Most at-home programs require minimal equipment, but before you start, make sure you have what you'll need or know that you will have to make further purchases to complete your program.

To me, it makes sense to talk to someone who has done the program you are interested in to get more information.  Fortunately for you, I have been your guinea pig and tried out a multitude of at-home programs.  I have done just about every Beachbody program there is (or my husband has) so I can help guide you to making the right choice.  Plus, I've done other programs that are not Beachbody so I can help you with those, too!

Remember:  once you commit to a workout program, the way to see results is to do it!  You've made the decision, you've invested the money, you've set goals, now make a promise to yourself that you aren't going to throw all that away and not do the program.  Something like 90% of people who start a program don't finish it.  What??!?  Don't be one of those people!  Be the 10% who finish and do it 100%.  The only person you fail when you don't do it is yourself.  Treat yourself positively and do something good for your fitness and health!

Simple Snacks

I am super pumped to be writing this blog entry today because it is by request!  I am more than happy to oblige, so if there is anything you want to see a post about, let me know, and I'll get it done!  Today's post is all about simple snacks, a must in our busy lifestyles.  The best thing about most of these snacks is that they can be prepped ahead of time, so if you're on the run or short on time, just grab them and eat.  They are all simple and require few ingredients.  Depending on your meal plan and caloric needs, you should have two small snacks a day in addition to 3 meals.

1. 2 T hummus (homemade or store-bought) with sliced vegetables (carrot sticks, bell pepper)
2. 2 hard boiled eggs (you can take out the yolk and mix it with Dijon mustard or replace it with hummus or you can just eat the whole egg!) and carrot sticks
3. 2T guacamole or 1/4 c salsa with homemade pita chips (cut whole-wheat pita into 1/8ths, spray pan with non-stick cooking spray, lightly salt and bake)
4. 1/2 c yogurt (Greek or plain) with 1/2 c berries and 1 T sliced almonds (keep almonds separate until ready to eat)
5. 1/2 c oatmeal with 1 T chopped walnuts
6. turkey roll-ups:  3 oz. (usually about 3 slices) turkey breast rolled up with 1/4 avocado and 1/2 bell pepper
7. 1 serving of fruit with 12 almonds
8. an apple or banana with 1 T nut butter (almond, peanut, sunflower, cashew)
9. 1 rice cake or slice of whole-wheat bread topped with 2 oz. deli meat (2 slices) and 1 oz. cheese (1 slice)
10. 1 rice cake topped with 1 T peanut butter and 1/2 banana
11. 1/2 c yogurt (Greek or plain), 1/2 c berries, and 2 T granola (homemade [great recipe in Fixate] or store-bought, but make sure to check sugar)
12. 1 c high-fiber/protein, low-sugar cereal (I like Special K Protein or Fiber One Original) with 3/4 c non-fat milk
13. 1/2 c cottage cheese topped with 1/2 c fruit (I like grapes, cantaloupe, or pineapple)
14. homemade protein bars (a simple recipe can be found here:  http://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/nutrition/homemade-energy-bars--you can substitute protein powder if you do not have Shakeology)
15. protein shake:  1/2 c non-fat milk, 1 scoop protein powder (or 1 scoop/packet Shakeology), 1/2 banana, 1 T nut butter, ice, blended
16. homemade trail mix:  1 T each of the following:  pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds), dark chocolate chips, almonds
17. zucchini or sweet potato chips:  slice thinly, sprinkle with salt, and bake 
18. 1/2 c egg whites, scrambled, with 1/4 salsa

When you plan ahead and have snacks like these:
  ,
you'll be less likely to be tempted by snacks like these: 



Enjoy and if you have any other snacks to add, comment below!

How to get and stay motivated

One of the biggest challenges that we can face when working out and eating right is getting and staying motivated.  I have a few tips that can help you get motivated to work out, eat clean, and enjoy being healthy!  First, let me say that I definitely have days where I don't feel like working out.  I may not want to cook dinner.  I may get a craving for something not on my meal plan.  And, there are days that I do not work out, I do not cook dinner, and I eat something that I really want rather than something that I should eat.  Even fitness professionals will tell you that they have days when they just do not want to do it.  But, it's how you handle those thoughts and feelings that make all the difference.  Here are some tips to help you get motivated and stay motivated when it gets tough.

• Set a goal for yourself.  It is so important to have goals that you want to achieve.  This not only gives you something to work for, but it gives you something concrete to celebrate when you have met and surpassed that goal.  Write down your goals so you always have them as a reminder of what you want to accomplish.  I find that it works best to be specific when you write goals.  Try to have a "what," a "why," and a "how" in your goals.  For example, don't just say, "I really want to lose three pounds." Rather, you could say, "I would like to lose three pounds because I want to be able to wear something other than sweatpants and I will do it by eating Kalteen bars."  (Of course this is NOT a goal you want to achieve, just a humorous example.)  It also helps if you give yourself a timeframe for your goals that is realistic and gives you enough time to be successful.

                                                                   
                                                             Don't set goals like Regina does.

• Find you "why."  This is something that seems difficult, but can actually be very easy.  Why do you want to workout, eat right, and be healthy?  It could be because you want to fit into a special outfit.  Maybe you have an event coming up and you want to look and feel your best.  Perhaps you want to improve your health and just generally feel better.  You could want to do it so you can have the energy you need to play with your kids.  Whatever your reason is, make it yours and not someone else's.  If you are doing this for someone else or reasons that are not your own, you may be more likely to be unsuccessful.
• Find the workout that works for you.  If every day when you wake up you are already dreading your workout, it's probably not the best fit for you.  When you find a workout that you really enjoy, you will be more likely to do it and, therefore, get great results.  I know that I do not like yoga, so doing an hour of it would be dreadful for me.  For others, doing intense cardio would be like torture, but it's what I love.  There are so many different ways to workout--don't limit yourself!  For some people (like me), at-home workout programs work the best.  For others, it's going to the gym.  Some people love to be outside, swim, play sports--the list goes on!  Find what you like and go from there.
• Get a workout buddy.  Studies have shown that when you work out with someone else, you're more likely to do it.  When you have someone else who is depending on you and keeping you accountable, you'll show up.  That other person will support you and encourage you.  Another benefit to having a workout buddy is that when you workout with other people, you are more likely to push yourself harder.  I don't know why, but it's true!
• Use your results to push you farther.  Once you start getting great results, let that be your motivation!  Your clothes will start fitting better, you will have more energy, other people will start to notice your success and will ask what you have been doing, and you will begin to see what else you are capable of and how much more success you can have.
• Use how you feel as a motivator.  As with the previous tip, remember how you feel on the days that you work out and eat right.  Remember how much energy you have, how you were able to push yourself harder in your workout, and how you didn't feel sluggish.  Then, think about how you feel on days when you don't workout or you don't eat right.   Also, when starting your workout, don't think about getting started, think about how great you feel when you're done and how accomplished you feel when you are able to finish something, especially when you may not have wanted to when you started.
• Plan ahead and don't leave it to chance.  This is a HUGE part of being successful when working out and eating right.  If you don't have your meals prepped, you'll be more likely to go out to eat.  If your meals are prepped, you'll eat them!  You will be surprised how simple it can be to meal prep (I will be doing a blog post on this soon!).  If you don't have your workout scheduled into your day, something else will take that time.  Literally write down when you're going to do your workout each day, whether it be a specific time or something like, "first thing in the morning" and make sure that it becomes a part of your day.  Once it does, it will be just like anything else and you will do it, everyday.

Okay, so those are some tips to help you get started.  But what happens when you're in the thick of things and you just feel like you can't push any harder?

• Change your mindset!  Tell yourself that you can keep going.  Remind yourself that you have goals that you want to reach.  Do not let yourself quit!  Did you know that the body does what the mind tells it to?  How unbelievably cool is that?  So, if your mind says, "I'm tired, I'm done, I'm not doing anymore," your body will believe you and stop.  If your mind says, "I've got this, I'm almost done, keep going," you will!  I know it sounds crazy, but it's true!  Try it out and see.  Turn that negative voice into a positive one.  Once you change your mindset, you've got this!

                                                           

• Do not beat yourself up if you have to stop.  If you're in the middle of a workout and you just cannot push yourself any harder, stop!  You don't want to get injured or push yourself until you're sick.  Make sure that you are stopping because you have to, though, not just because you want to.  Most importantly, if you do have to take a rest and push pause, that's okay!  Don't be upset about it.  Tell yourself that next time you are going to make it 3/4 of the way through the workout or finish a specific move.  Don't dwell on the past because that will only negatively affect your future.
• You are much stronger than you give yourself credit for.  Typically we think we can't do something or are hesitant to try because we think we will fail.  You never know what you are capable of until you do it!  So lift heavier, push harder, finish that minute!  When you are dying and you push yourself, that's when you will really see results.

Motivation can be super hard to find, but once you do, it's amazing how easy all of this becomes.  I am more than happy to talk to you about finding your own motivation and would love to support you in your fitness goals.  If you would like to speak with me, please feel free to comment here, find me on facebook, or email me at kdm0830@gmail.com.

Fixate cookbook review!

Today I wanted to talk a little bit about the Fixate cookbook.  This was released a few months ago by Beachbody and is by Autumn Calabrese, creator of 21 Day Fix and the accompanying meal plan.  The idea behind it to use color-coded containers that correspond with a food category to focus on portion control and eating the right kinds of foods in the right amounts.  The meal plan is simple to do, easy to follow, and can help people understand nutrition.  This is not a diet, but a way that you can eat for the rest of your life!  Although the meal plan was first introduced with the 21 Day Fix workout program, it now comes with many of Beachbody's programs, such as 22 Minute Hard Corps, The Master's Hammer and Chisel, and Cize:  The End of Exercise.

The Fixate cookbook by Autumn Calabrese

Even if you don't use the containers and follow the meal plan per se, you can still use this cookbook!  I don't follow the meal plan that comes with the programs, but I use this cookbook just about every day.  It is awesome.  I will now tell you a little bit about it and some of the recipes.

In the beginning of the cookbook there is an introduction by Autumn, an explanation of why we need different types of foods and why it is crucial to not cut out any type of food (very important), and a brief overview of the containers and what goes into each one.  In each of the program guides that comes with the workouts, there is a calculation that you can do that, based on your activity level and your goals, will give you the breakdown of how many containers you get per color, per day.  The program guides also include food lists, letting you know which container each food goes in.  Once you have your containers figured out, you can start eating!  Autumn does a great job of laying out the foods in the cookbook.  She has different categories and each recipe has a container count, nutrition facts, and if it is gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian.  There is also a picture for each recipe.  I love this!  So many times you read a recipe and then see the picture and it looks nothing like what you're supposed to be making.  It sounds dumb, but I think it really helps when you can see a picture of exactly what you're getting ready to eat and she puts one in for every single recipe.  Some of the categories included are:  salads, soups, dressings and sauces, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, sides, desserts, snacks, and cocktails.  There is great variety in these sections.  For example, for breakfast, there are very simple recipes, such as oatmeal with peanut butter and chocolate but there are also more in-depth recipes such as pancakes and chicken and waffles.  There is also a Shakeology section, which includes recipes that feature the Beachbody product that gives you a daily boost of dense nutrition.

Another thing that I love about these recipes is that they are simple.  Most of them require few ingredients, most of which I have at home or buy on a weekly basis.  The ingredients in the recipes are easy to find and there are options given for those that may be a little more difficult to come across in your local grocery store.  I have one cookbook (Jillian Michaels's Master Your Metabolism) which I love, but the recipes are complicated, take some time to cook, and have some hard-to-find ingredients.  Autumn's recipes are realistic and most of the recipes take less than 30 minutes to prep and create (some require longer cooking time, but if you plan ahead, you can always do something else while your meal is cooking).  Like I said, I use this cookbook at least once a week, sometimes much more.  Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Soups and Salads:
Healthy Cobb Salad:  simple, delicious, and combines some of my favorite ingredients:  hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and bleu cheese!
Chicken Noodle Soup:  great recipe to make ahead of time and have throughout the week for lunch or dinner
Breakfast:
Healthy French Toast:  simple to make and can be done ahead of time, just as most of the recipes can
Omelet:  great source of protein and Autumn gives you lots of different combinations of veggies and cheese to try
Lunch:
Easy Pizza:  I love this!  When my husband is home, it is a very quick meal to make where we can each have what we want on top of our pizza.  You use a whole-wheat tortilla for the crust.
(The lunch section is where I wish there were more options.  I have a difficult time eating hot lunches at work because I can't make them there and most of them don't reheat well.  I wish there were more cold lunch options without having to have a salad.)
Dinner:
Steak Fajitas:  great flavor, very simple (all you have to do is cut up the vegetables), and easy to divide or double the recipe.
Turkey Chili:  again, very simple (mostly just cutting vegetables) and makes a ton for leftovers
Sides:
Sweet Potato Bites:  ridiculously simple and tasty
Zucchini Bake:  the lemon zest adds a different flavor, but this is another great way to get in vegetables that are tasty
Spicy Cauliflower:  a little more work to make, but spicy and so delicious and is great with the dipping sauce!

I haven't made any of the dessert recipes, but they all look tasty and the best part--you can enjoy a healthful dessert even when eating clean!

Overall, I think this is a fantastic cookbook and is a wonderful addition for anyone who is following the color-coded container meal plan.  There are so many great, simple recipes here!

If you have any questions about the cookbook, or nutrition and fitness in general, I'd be happy to help!  Feel free to comment here, message me on facebook, or email me (kdm0830@gmail.com).  If you're ready to buy the Fixate cookbook, you can visit my Beachbody coach webpage at beachbodycoach.com/FitTeachKate.

Why I became a Beachbody coach and what that really means

Just recently I made the decision to become a Beachbody coach.  But why in the world did I take the plunge and do this and what does that really mean?  I am glad to tell you!

I have been into fitness for a while now.  I remember in middle school coming home every day and doing Tae-bo and my mom's Jane Fonda's Workout Challenge on VHS!  I really enjoyed fitness and working out, but wasn't doing it as seriously as I could be and definitely didn't have a clue about "clean eating."  I went off to college and working out went by the wayside.  For a little over a year, I did nothing in terms of fitness!  Eventually, I started going to my school's gym and got back into the habit.  I don't remember how I got it, but I ended up with a TurboJam DVD in my possession.  I loved it!  It was tough, fast-paced, and fun.  It didn't feel like working out.  And the trainer (Chalene Johnson) had high-energy and was positive--it was like she really wanted me to do well, too.  After doing TurboJam for a while, I decided it was time for a challenge and a program.  I did some research online and came across Insanity.  I really didn't know much about it other than it was a set of DVDs that came with a calendar that would tell me what workout to do each day.  Perfect!  I was beyond excited to get the program and get started.

I really knew nothing about Beachbody and had no interest in learning about it.  I was content with my Insanity, which I ended up doing for 5 rounds!  Maybe it was because it was my first workout, but it is also my favorite, and holds a special place in my heart.  I know I can always go back to it when I want a cardio challenge.  It is what one might call my "soulmate" workout.  In between Insanity, I was still doing other at-home videos from Jillian Michaels and Amy Bento.  Then, I heard about a new release from TurboJam creator Chalene Johnson called TurboFire.  How great!  I ordered it and was pumped!  It was so fun and I was still getting a great workout.  TurboFire also includes strength training workouts, which brought me back to the days when I went to the gym.  I ended up getting very sick during this program and wasn't able to finish the 90 days.  When I was ready to workout again, I went right back to TurboFire and it helped me regain my cardiovascular and muscular strength.

After TurboFire, I started looking at the Beachbody website and saw that there was an option to become a coach.  What in the world did that mean?  I had no idea (I'm still learning!) but it sounded like something I wanted to do--bring Beachbody programs, like the ones I had done and enjoyed so much, to other people.  Over the years I have done a lot of Beachbody programs--just about every one that there is!  I kept going back to being a coach, but I never thought that I would be able to do it.  I have been wavering for years on what to do--I have often thought about getting my personal training certification.  But, then I would have to do the training, get a job in a gym, and you can't just start out being the world's best personal trainer!  Plus, that is going to take time, probably more than a year.  I wanted a way that I could move forward in fitness right NOW!

Fast-forward to 2016 and I decided to jump in feet-first to this whole coaching thing.  I am still learning along the way because I know that I will never be done learning about and growing in fitness.  However, I am so excited to be a part of a great team and to help other people get healthy, be strong, and love working out like I do!  Which brings me to my 'why':  why did I decide to become a coach?  I have seen what Beachbody programs have done for me.  I couldn't imagine going to a gym every day to work out.  Not only would I not have the motivation to drive somewhere, I would have no clue what to do!  I am self-motivated when it comes to working out, but I have to know what in the world I'm doing when I get there.  I can work out from the comfort of my own home, I know exactly what workout I'm doing today, tomorrow, and next week because I have a calendar to follow, and I have a celebrity trainer in my house, making sure that I am pushing my hardest and getting great results.  I have totally changed the way I look at healthful eating.  I used to think that having bland chicken and a bowl of quick-cook white rice with calorie-free butter spread was healthful (gross, right?) but now I know there is so much more to how food fuels our body, portion control, and which foods are really healthful and which just pretend they are (can we say fat-free foods??).  I have learned all of this from doing Beachbody programs!  I have also recommended programs to my friends and family and have seen them get amazing results as well, and I want to help more people do that.  I know how great I feel, I know that I have gotten amazing results--why wouldn't I want to help other people do the same?

In a nutshell, my 'why' is that I want other people to have the same success and positive outlook on fitness and nutrition that I do.  I love to work out (no really, I do!) and I look forward to it everyday.  If I don't work out, I feel bad!  I want other people to find their soulmate workout and love being fit and healthy.  I want to help other people understand food and get the most out of what you eat, while still enjoying it!  Healthy food does not have to be boring or gross.  It's actually really delicious and I will be posting pictures and recipes on my blog of what I eat everyday!  The best part is, it's simple once you get the hang of it!  I want to inspire others, bring them motivation, and help them on their own fitness journey.  And most of all, I want others to love the feeling that they get when they are successful with a workout program and know that the reason they have gotten results is because of their hard work and dedication!

My 'why' is also my job as a coach.  It is not to sell you something you don't want.  It is not to make you feel pressured into anything.  It is not to make you feel inundated with information that you don't want and/or care about.  It is to help bring people, just like you, to fitness.  It is to lead groups to hold you accountable in your workouts and eating, and to give you the opportunity to motivate and be motivated by others.  It is letting you know that you don't have to do this alone.  It is tough--but when you are surrounded by others who support you and are working towards a common goal, it gets easier!  It is to give you information about nutrition, fitness, and health.  My job is to help you in any way I can and I can't wait to start doing that!

If you have any questions about health, fitness, nutrition, or you are ready to find the workout program that is best for you, please do not hesitate to comment here, send me a message on facebook, or email me at FitTeachKate@gmail.com.  I look forward to helping you on your fitness journey soon!

The Master's Hammer and Chisel: An overview

Hi, everyone!  I am excited to share with you an overview (seasoned with my opinions) of one of the newest Beachbody workout programs, The Master's Hammer and Chisel!  I have already completed this program and I got great results--and you can, too!  Below you can find all the information about the workout program, such as what's included, what's required, length of workouts, and my thoughts.  So, without further ado...

                                          

General program overview:
This is a 60-day program brought to you by Beachbody.  It features two trainers, Sagi Kalev (Body Beast) and Autumn Calabrese (21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Country Heat [August release]).  This program primarily focuses on strength-training and building muscle.  I believe Beachbody classifies this program as intermediate, but I take their recommendations with a grain of salt.  I would say, depending on how heavy you go with weights, you could make this workout pretty easy or extremely difficult.

The program comes with 12 workouts, 6 instructed by Autumn and 6 instructed by Sagi.  Also included are two ab workouts, one by each instructor.  Before I started the program I thought they were going to teach all of the workouts together, but they do not, which I am glad for (more on that later).  Each workout is between 25 and 45 minutes long, with most workouts being about 30 minutes (ab workouts are about 11 minutes each).  In addition to the workouts, you receive a calendar which tells you what workout to do each day.  This program has you working out 6 days a week with a rest day on Thursday, but you could change that depending on what day you start the program.  The calendar also gives you the option of completing a 30-day Chisel program or a 30-day Hammer program.  There is a nutrition plan included, which follows the containers system that was first introduced in Autumn's 21 Day Fix program.  If you are unfamiliar with this system, you can find information about it in the program and nutrition guide that is included.  The guide also has a few recipes but not many (I recommend Autumn's Fixate cookbook, which I will review as well).  Lastly, the workout comes with a quick-start guide to help you get the best results in the fastest amount of time.

Required Equipment:
There is a lot of equipment that is required for this program.  I am fortunate enough to have collected the needed equipment over the years, but if you are just starting out, you may not have everything that you need.  You can make some substitutions, which I will also list.

• dumbbells:  In order to get the most out of this program, it is suggested that you have a variety of dumbbells to work with.  Of course, depending on your ability level, your range will vary.  I would suggest that, at minimum, you need a set of light, medium, and heavy weights.  To give you a reference point, I would consider 7-8 light, 12-15 medium, and 18-20 heavy.  There were times where I had to lift heavier than that, but starting out, I think that is a good range.

• bench (or stability ball):  A bench is used for many moves in most of the workouts.  You could use a stability ball, but if you can balance doing some of those moves, you have got a super strong core!  I would be rolling all over the place.  If you don't have a bench, you could use a chair (I have seen others post that they have done this) but I wouldn't necessarily recommend that unless it is very sturdy.  You not only use the bench for presses and lifts, but also for jumping moves.
• chin-up bar (with assist) or band with door attachment:  I started the program with the bands because I didn't have a chin-up bar (nor could I do a chin-up with the bar if I had one).  The bands were challenging and I think that they are a good starting point.  We did end up getting a chin-up bar and it is tough!  I still go back to the bands because I cannot do 30 seconds of chin-ups on the bar, even with the assist.
• resistance band (or towel):  This band is used very little throughout the program, so technically, I think you could do without it.  It is used in a (I think) one move in all of the program, but it is also used in Sagi's warm-up.  He suggests that you can use a towel instead.

Okay, so that's it for the equipment.  After looking at the list, it's not that much, but it's still a lot if you are just starting out or don't have the space for all this stuff.  And if you really want to challenge yourself and build muscle, you'll probably need more of a variety of weights.

My personal opinions ('pros' and 'cons') and review:
Okay, this is a section where I'm going to get into some of my opinions but I am going to try to stay relatively objective.  However, what I think is a 'pro' you may consider a 'con' and vice versa.  These are going to be different for everyone, so just keep that in mind when making your decision about what program to do.
           Pros:       

1. Workouts are relatively short compared to others you can do of the same nature
2. Ability to challenge yourself by adding heavier weight
3. Variety of workouts that come with the program
4.  Option to buy Deluxe workouts (could be a 'con' because you have to spend more money, but I enjoyed these--more info about them below)
5. 60-days in length
6. Simple nutrition plan
7. Knowledgeable instructors

          Cons:

1. Requires a decent amount of equipment
2. Minimal cardio workouts (for me this is a con, for others it may be a pro!)

Okay, that's it for the 'cons'!  So, as you can see, in my personal opinion, the pros far outweigh the cons.  Now, I will get into my review, which is based solely on my experience and opinion of the workout.

Before I started this workout I was excited and nervous.  I had done both of Autumn's previous workouts and enjoyed them and I really like her as a trainer.  I hadn't done a workout of Sagi's, I just knew that he was the trainer in Body Beast and, I'm not going to lie, I was scared.  I thought he was going to be tough, in-your-face, and be really intense when it came to lifting weights.  He does have some huge muscles, but I actually liked him a lot!  His workouts were definitely weight-focused (as opposed to cardio) but I liked them and didn't dread them at all.  He was encouraging and not scary at all!  I ended up enjoying both of them separately.  There was one workout that is a bonus if you order through teambeachbody.com called The Master's Cardio where they team up and work together (they also do two workouts together in the Deluxe workouts).  Oh my goodness, I could not do an entire program if they did every workout together!  They were constantly joking and saying silly things and almost competing to see who could be goofier.  I did not like their chemistry at all together and definitely think they need to stick to leading their own workouts and not co-teach ever again!  Haha, but that is just my opinion, of course!

I liked how much I was able to push myself throughout this program.  I was able to up my weights just about every time I repeated a workout.  Some I liked better than others (I will get to reviews of the individual workouts, I promise!) but I didn't hate any of them.  I wish there had been more cardio, but that's just because I love my cardio workouts!  However, I felt like I got a great workout everyday and was always dripping in sweat when I was finished!  I also got great results.  I feel like my muscle definition in my arms, abs, and legs improved and my strength definitely improved!

As I stated previously, there is an option to buy the deluxe workouts.  This is a set of 4 additional workouts (well, two full routines and two add-ons).  To complete these workouts, it is recommended that you have a medicine ball (8 pounds) or a single dumbbell.  There is an option on the calendar to add these workouts in during the second month, which I did.  I liked the continued variety they added and really liked the addition of the medicine ball.  The two add-on workouts are approximately 15 minutes each and work the glutes and legs.  I don't know why, but I never looked forward to doing Leg Hammer but once I got started, it was fine and I loved the feeling I got when I was finished!  If you are able to, I would suggest buying the deluxe DVDs for more variety and a lower-body challenge, but they are certainly not necessary.  You will get a great workout with the workouts included in the program.

Lastly, I will talk about the nutrition plan.  As I mentioned before, the plan included was first introduced in Autumn's program 21 Day Fix.  It uses color-coded containers to control portion size.  Depending on your weight, activity level, and goals, you get a certain number of containers (aka calories) that you eat each day.  I do not use this nutrition plan because I already have a handle on clean eating and meal planning.  BUT, I do think that these containers can be very helpful to someone who may be new to clean eating, needs help with portion control, or just wants to understand more about how food is fuel for our body and why we eat the different foods that we eat.  Food lists and a few recipes are included in the nutrition guide that comes with the program.  It is my goal to also begin posting recipes and meals that I make to the blog as well so you can get more ideas!  I followed clean eating to a 'T' for the entire 60 days, which I definitely know helped me get the results that I did.

So, that's the program in a nutshell.  As I said, I plan on doing reviews for each individual workout, but as I am not doing the program anymore (I have moved on to Chalean Extreme--another strength-training workout!) that will take some time.  In the meantime, if you have any questions about the workouts, the program, Beachbody, nutrition, anything health and fitness related please do not hesitate to ask me!  And if you are interested in purchasing The Master's Hammer and Chisel or any of Beachbody's other programs, please feel free to use the following link: 

beachbodycoach.com/fitteachkate

                                          

Catching up and moving forward

Wow!  It's been a year since I decided that I was going to start a blog and I haven't done anything with it!  I have been doing a lot of thinking about health and fitness in the past year and I have decided that my next step is going to be reaching out to people to help them in their health and fitness journey.  I mean, what good is it keeping all of these secrets to myself?  :)  So, from now on, I vow to consistently post to this blog and get more in-depth with product reviews and nutrition.  If you have a question about anything that I post on here or would like more information about any products, please do not hesitate to contact me on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/kate.mcdonough.5) or email (kdm0830@gmail.com).  I look forward to hearing from you and sharing my fitness journey with you!