Insanity Max:30 Tabata Strength Review

Tonight was my first go with Tabata Strength and it did not disappoint. When I first read the description in the DVD box it said that it was Tabata with no rest periods and that sort of concerned me - one of the reasons why I love Tabata-style workouts is because the short length of time, plus the brief break makes me feel like I can go all out the entire time and really get in a good workout. Well, I'm happy to report that there ARE breaks but they definitely are not as frequent as with the Tabata Power workout - but I will say that they fall at an appropriate time and do not make things completely unmanageable.

My Max Out time for this one was 13:20 which is rather high and I was very surprised that I made it that far! Insanity Max:30 is changing my mindset - which is the same thing the original Insanity did. It is helping breakdown so many mental blocks. There were many times during this workout that I was like "You will max out the next set of reps you do" and then I'd hear the countdown beats and buzzer and say to myself "Holy crap you made it through another round". Then the mind shift came "You will make it through another round" and I kept going. When I maxed out though, I MAXED OUT. It was odd - I thought I would max out in the push up series as I wasn't modifying them and push ups aren't a strong suit of mine - not even when I teach my Insanity class - but where I maxed out was some plyo lunges which ARE my strong suit! Very odd, but I'll take a 13:20 max out time (I want to point out here that maxing out earlier is best as it means you are pushing yourself to the max the entire time. In this case, I was doing just that without modifying HOWEVER I teach Insanity as a live class multiple times a week, so my endurance for these types of movements and series may be different than the average-bear's).

My favorite move of the workout had to be the diamond jump burpee. Most people hate burpees - I love burpees. My class will tell you that :)

My least favorite move aka my new move to conquer would have to be the scissor push ups. They were so hard, and came toward the end where your body was toast but I WILL master those dang things! I think tonight I was able to do 2 and then I died - my goal is by the end of Month 1 to be able to do 6 -- which is a weird number, but just roll with me on this one.

I was really happy that I enjoyed this workout like all of the other ones. This program, is by far my favorite one to date and one that I could see doing over and over again. The original Insanity - you get through that thing once and its like "Oh jeez - I have to do it again!?" But this workout, with its sensitivity to time is one that I could see being in rotation for a long time.

Interested in learning more? Shoot me a message and lets talk to see if this program is right for you! nik4213@gmail.com

How to Rock the New Year

One of the largest trending searches right now have to do with New Year Resolutions - specifically how to keep them and not fall off track. There is a very simple method for this: Don't make a resolution.

Did you know that resolutions are rarely kept - and the ones that ARE kept weren't a "resolution", they were a goal. "Resolution" as a word has negative connotation behind it. When you hear of "The Resolutioners" in the gym - what do you think of? For me I think of those that come in January/February and then I never see them again come March. If 100 new people come into my gym (which is a corporate gym for my workplace) in January - 5 will remain come the following December. Five.  "Resolutioners". 

When you hear the term "New Years Resolution" do you think "Goals I have achieved" or "It would have been nice if I could have actually stuck with that."?  Or maybe you think the third option "Total bullshit". For most of us, it is options 2 or 3.  Notice there is that word again associated with success: goals.

This year instead of creating a "resolution" create goals for yourself. Start out with a list of 10 goals for 2015, and pick 2 that you will focus on first. The first 2 should be your easiest goals on the list. Your achievement of these goals will give you feel-good mood boosters that will inspire you to create new goals and propel you forward towards achieving them. As you are continuously achieving one or two goals at a time, you will find yourself growing more confident in your capabilities, fearlessly moving in new directions, and that goal list for 2015 will start to be checked off one-by-one.

Imagine the feeling you could have next year when you pull out this list and find everything (or at least almost everything) crossed off. Imagine the sense of pride as you sit around with friends and family discussion their "resolutions" that they had for 2015 and how they were attempted - but not achieved; however, then you chime in with your accomplishments. Imagine the forward momentum this could give you for bigger and better things in your future.

This is the year you set goals and not resolutions. This is the year you actually become who you want to be. It's time to take the first REAL step towards a new you.

All the best to you in 2015!

New Year New You Accountability Group

Whether you are someone who makes one big scary goal a year, or many scary goals in a year - reaching those goals can be TOUGH. Every year I make myself my a goal board, usually on New Years Eve (because I'm boring and don't go out) about some of the goals I want to achieve in the following year in my business, at my job, financially, etc. That board is posted on my wall in my office and even though its a visual reminder of what I need to be doing day in and day out to reach those goals. Accountability can be tough when it's just you who is let in on your secret.

This year try something different. My New Year New You Accountability Group is sure to not only get those gears working' to dream bigger and better than you ever had before, but will help hold you accountable to those dreams while getting you healthy and fit. Here is what you can expect out of the group:

1) Fitness: Be set up with an in-home workout program that matches your needs, budget, and leaves you no excuses with your hectic schedule. Say "Goodbye" to paying gym fees for a year (and possibly stop going in February) and say "Hello" to in-home fitness where you don't need to bundle up, worry about other people watching you or what the weather is doing outside.

2) Nutrition: Learn more about meal prep and planning, make a healthy eating recipe book, learn about clean eating, etc. Recipes for every preference including low carb and Gluten free. Design your own Healthy Eating Cook Book that can carry you through the year and I provide recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time.

3) Results: Having your health and fitness together is great, but what's better is the whole package. Finances? Check. Time Management? Check. Re-Organization? Check. Feeling better about yourself? Check. Have it all INCLUDING a positive mindset.

I haven't always been who I am today. It took a lot of falling on my face and getting back up again, and a TON of people not believing in me. Join a group of positive people looking to make a change together in a judgement free zone. For once, have people celebrating your success and pushing you to bigger and better things.

Group begins January 1st and continues on until ...  Contact me to begin the start up process to the best possible you for 2015 nik4213@gmail.com

6 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Hit 30

I had often times, in my youth, looked at 30 as officially being "old". By this point you are supposed to have settled down in a career, have the house, the kids, the dog, the car, etc. etc. etc. so with that standard in my mind, the clock striking 12:00am on December 11, 2014 just drained me. I literally sat and stared. There was nothing else I could do. My 20's were over.

I woke up today still feeling off. My 20's were over - holy crap - they were over! Where did they go?! That's it!? Gone?! Just like that?! And then the thoughts started to flood in - did I do enough? Did I have enough fun? Am I where I thought I would be? The answer to all of those questions is No - Not at all.

This isn't a post about regret, but it's a post in hopes that where I went wrong, you can go right. We all lead our own life journey and I'll be honest, NOW, I wouldn't change anything that I didn't do or did do in the past because of the amazing lessons learned, personal growth, and journey that it has taken me on. I am who I am today because of where I may have screwed up in the past - but those instances have also weighed heavily on my mind and I've often thought about what I would do different NOW than I did before.

So here are my "Live-By 6". The 6 areas that I feel can make the biggest impact on your life and getting you to the big 3-0 in the most happy and healthy way:

6. Eat well, workout often: The metabolism you have WILL slow down. Let me repeat this - A Big Mac will matter someday. And when you hear people say "That goes straight to my thighs", it really does. Not to mention, just wait until you become more health conscious and start reading what's REALLY in your food - scary stuff. Get yourself on a consistent workout routine now while you are young and life hasn't fully "happened" yet. Why? It will keep your metabolism in check so maybe when you are 30 things won't "go straight to your thighs" OR you will have the knowledge already in hand on how to eat clean and live healthy and you probably won't even notice the metabolism starting to decline! I don't care who you are - this is going to happen.

5. Don't be afraid to be a little weird: The majority of my life has been about pleasing others. It's in my nature and it's a great quality to have UNTIL it gets to the point where you don't even know WHO you are anymore because you are trying to be everything to everybody. Be a little weird. Stand out. March to the beat of your own drum. It's only been the past 2 years that I have been brave enough to be a little weird..and life is so much more fun when you are just comfortable being who you are with no apologies--not even if people stare.

4. Never do something because its what your significant other is doing: Please Lord just don't. Just don't. I repeat - just don't do this. I know. You are young "But we are in love" "We are going to get married 'someday'". "This will all be worth it." I hope so. Because if it isn't I can assure you, you will look back and say, "Gosh I wish I would have done xyz". Take it from someone who has permitted many an ex boyfriend to dictate what they were doing, where they were going, etc. Get with someone who allows you to be you, who allows you to follow your dreams - even if that means creating some choppiness and areas of change within the relationship. The right person- no matter how crazy the idea, big the dream, or inconvenient the situation- is always going to think the sun shines out of your ass.

3. Live your life to YOUR version of the fullest - not someone else's:  Please, please, please, don't let people talk you out of what you want to do. They might be right - that's the truth- but just screw up on your own, clean it up on your own, and learn from it on your own. You'll figure it out. I have faith in you. You wanna dance in the rain - go freakin' dance in the rain - and do a spin for me. You want to wear crazyass wings in public to express yourself - do that too. Because you know what? Usually those that are staring are the ones that have something deep down that they wish they could express but don't have the balls to do it. Be the one with the balls to be bold.

2. Be okay with not being perfect: I'm fairly confident that 90% of the people who will read this know that they aren't perfect. I'm also pretty confident that about 60% of you are too afraid to show that to the world. Take constructive criticism and use it to your advantage. If you walk like a duck, quack like a duck, and look like a duck - you're probably a duck. If multiple people are noticing a problem and telling you about it - you probably have the problem. Take it as as symbol of love from those individuals and actively work on any character flaws you may be developing or putting out to others. It's okay to admit you aren't perfect in all areas of life, but it's not okay to ignore the fact and do nothing about it.

1. If the ball is rolling in the wrong direction -STOP IT.: My biggest, my number 1, my never-go-against-this-rule-ever rule: If you feel off about something, if something isn't jiving with you, no matter how big or how fast the ball is rolling, figure out a way to stop it. Let me tell you from experience, you might feel awkward or bad by diverting the ball away from what others were hoping and dreaming for you but you will hurt a lot less people in the end by getting it to stop. No matter what people say - trust your gut. Do what you need to do. But don't allow it to keep rolling and take others out along its scary path. It's not worth it.

Hopefully you could see the general theme in all of this which is to be yourself, love yourself, and trust yourself. You only get one life to live and it is YOURS. YOU decide what makes you happy, where your life goes, etc. No one else. If you do you, and you pick up like-minded people along the way, you will begin to see what LIVING is really about.

Insanity Max:30 Tabata Power Review

Earlier I had done two separate blog posts - What is Tabata?Is Insanity Max:30 Like Tabata? If you do not know what Tabata is, these two posts are great references.

and

Simply put, Tabata exercises are done 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. After completing week 1 of Insanity Max:30, I have to confess that this is by far my favorite DVD in the series. All of the workouts are great, but 20 seconds on makes me PUSH HARD. You can do anything for 20 seconds - c'mon! And then the 10 second rest recovery of a light jog brings my heart rate down just enough that I feel rested and rejuvenated (crazy after only 10 seconds, huh?) to kick it back up to 10 and go again.

The DVD works through segments that focus on various parts of your body. You have a leg segment that is various lunges and jumps done in a plyometric fashion. Most hate jumping - I honestly don't care for jumping but I do it anyway; however, I know that there are some that really can't do jumps because of prior injury, etc. For that you have a modifier that takes out ALL of the jumping but still gives you a great workout.

The DVD also focuses on upper body with push up varieties, as well as tricep exercises. I can't tell you how much I hate push up rows; however, despite the extreme hatred for the exercise, I find myself pushing through those the most. The one thing Insanity Max:30 has taught me is to take the hate, and roll it up into fuel to power through. Shaun T says that there are always those moves that you HAAATE and those are the ones that you need to dig the deepest on and overcome. For me, that's push up rows in this workout series. My favorite move would have to be the tricep dip reaches. I love those!  Upper body also has a great modifier which largely has you dropping to your knees rather than being up on your toes.

Finally you have your abs, and also scheduled on this day is the Ab Challenge - a new ab workout from Shaun T that is 10 minutes long and I LOVE! Sometimes you do ab work and you wonder, "Did that really do anything?" With the 10 Minute Ab Challenge there is no doubt in my mind that it is working and is going to work to shrink my mid-section, which is an area I always have issues with because of how small I am.

Like I said in the beginning, Insanity Max:30 Tabata Power is by far my favorite disc in the series. It pushes you to work at your hardest level and really pushes you to actually MAX OUT.

I'd love to help you decide if this program is right for you, and help you to reach the finish line!Interested in hearing more? Click here or shoot me an email nik4213@gmail.com

Is Insanity Max 30 like Tabata?

So last week I introduced you to what exactly Tabata was, and this week we are going to work Tabata into Insanity Max 30.

Insanity Max 30 puts the twist on Tabata. Now Tabata can be taken to many various levels of fitness, so this is not to give that workout style any sort of reduced credit, but if you have ever done Insanity before you can imagine how Insanity Max 30 might make this just a weee bit crazier as it brings in drop sets.

So let's break it down with push ups (and yes, you may do them modified as a modifier will be present during the workouts)

You would start off doing push ups for 20 seconds, and then get a 10 second rest. Each time, the number of push ups you do will become less and less (drop set), however, because you are fatigued they are still going to feel harder and harder as your muscles are already worked and burning.

Make sense?

What I love about the Insanity Max 30 workout is the fact that there is no equipment needed. You are your gym. It is you against your body (and your mind).

Want to find out more about Insanity Max 30? Follow me on Facebook or Instagram, or simply click this Insanity Max 30 link and be put on my exclusive list for details, access to the early release date, and access to the exclusive discount. Remember! Insanity Max 30 comes out on December 4th for purchase through coaches only! Otherwise you need to wait. Get on the list and get it first!

Insanity Max 30: Sweat Intervals Preview

In Insanity Max 30, Sweat Intervals will push you to your max! What is it? Let me explain:

In the original Insanity you did a 10 1/2 minute warm up, followed by a 5 minute stretch, and then 3-4 rounds of 4 exercises done for 30 seconds each. After you completed that 2 minute circuit you received a 30 second rest, and then repeated that circuit 2 additional times before you switched up the moves.

In Insanity Max 30 you start off with a quick warm up followed by a quick break to grab some water, towel off -- you know the deal. Then it's onto the workout that is going to melt the fat and chisel out the muscle.

 3 exercises @ 30 seconds each
 3 times through for a total of  4 1/2 minutes
 30 second break
 Repeated 5 times

I'm sweating just thinking about this. I'm thinking of the hurt-so-good feeling, the feeling of accomplishment I'm going to have when I'm done, the challenge it's going to bring me both mentally and physically. AHHH! I just really cannot wait for Insanity Max 30 to come out!

Don't let your pre-conceptions of yourself stop you from doing this workout. There are modifiers included so you can take it to a level that you are comfortable with, and as you progress, you can progress your moves into a different level of difficulty. Insanity really is a game changer. It doesn't just change your body, it changes the way you think ABOUT YOURSELF. It pushes you to do things you thought you couldn't. Have you ever had a mental block when working out that just sort of kills any good attitude you had? Insanity and Insanity Max 30 will teach you how to get over yourself and get closer to your goals.

Want to find out more about Insanity Max 30? Follow me on Facebook or Instagram, or simply click this Insanity Max 30 link and be put on my exclusive list for details, access to the early release date, and access to the exclusive discount. Remember! Insanity Max 30 comes out on December 4th for purchase through coaches only! Otherwise you need to wait. Get on the list and get it first!

What Is Shakeology?

I often times get asked, "What's this Shakeology stuff that you are always talking about?"  Shakeology is a powerful superfood shake that's packed with incredible amounts of protein, antioxidants, phytonutrients, prebiotics, enzymes and many rare super foods that your body desperately needs and craves. These super foods help you to curb your cravings, balance your moods, reduce bloat, give you healthy hair, skin, and nails, as well as give you the fighting power for a strong immune system.

A survey was done and the following was found out of Shakeology drinkers:

93% feel healthier
86% report increased energy levels
81% feel it helped reduce their cravings for junk food
72% said it helped them to lose weight

For me, Shakeology has done many things. I used to have this annoying "fluffy tummy" as I called it. Turns out it was a whole lot of bloat! The Shakeology has made that go away, making my stomach much more flat. In addition, I am Hypoglycemic and with Shakeology have a certified Low Glycemic Index it has done WONDERS for my old ways of crashing at the worst times possible. Shakeology has also helped me with my Seasonal Affective Disorder. Sure, it's not a cure a some days are better than others, but it has certainly helped me to take the edge off.

Are you interested in receiving a sample? Please reach out to me at nik4213@gmail.com and I'd be happy to hook you up!  Shakeology comes in 6 flavors: Chocolate, Vegan Chocolate, Strawberry, Vegan Tropical Strawberry, Greenberry, and Vanilla.  Shakeology also comes with a 30 day Bottom of the Bag Guarentee -- if you don't feel healthier, return it and Beachbody will refund your money (less shipping & handling) EVEN IF THE BAG IS EMPTY.

Shakeology was the best decision that I ever made for my personal health and fitness. It tastes good! It's something I look forward to every day! If you think it can help you too, again, please reach out. I'm happy to talk with you! nik4213@gmail.com

What is Tabata?

If you are like me, life can get a bit crazy leaving you almost NO time to workout at all. For those days that are even too crazy for me to put in one of my DVDs, I turn to my Office Lady Tabata workout.

Simply put, Tabata goes a little something like this:

Workout hard for 20 seconds
Rest for 10 seconds
Repeat that 8 times
1 Minute Rest in-between exercises

So for example, let's say you are doing mountain climbers. You would go hard with those for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, and then repeat that circuit 8 more times. Once finished, you get a 1 minute rest before you go onto your next exercise.

The benefits? Increased burn rate of calories and fat even when you are not working out

You can do a Tabata-style workout with basically any sort of fitness moves - upper body, lower body, cardio, you name it. They are great for when you are short on time, want a burst of energy, and need to stay on track.

Here is a sample workout that I do when I just have 20 Minutes to spare **Please note, you need to warm up, so I added in an additional set to gradually increase my heart rate and warm up the muscles**

Warm Up:
Jog (progressively faster throughout the 8 rounds to warm up, get your blood pumping, etc)

Tabata Workout:
Jumping Jacks
Speed Skaters
Floor Sprints
High Knees
Push Ups

Try this out on your lunch break and get increased calorie burn through out the day, a small ass, thinner thighs, a shrinking waste line and a burst of energy to carry you into your afternoon.

Oh, and did you know the new Insanity Max 30 has some workouts that are based off of this very model? Can't wait - increased results, increased burn, so much less TIME!!

Insanity Max 30: Cardio Challenge Preview

Cardio Challenge is the Insanity Max 30 way of knocking out your fit test! In the original Insanity, this workout would be called the "fit test", but in Insanity Max 30 it is done a little bit differently.

Shaun T is going to give you some of the moves you will be doing throughout your workout (there are over 150 new moves in Insanity Max 30!) and it's your job to push yourself to your max, and write down the time of when you take your first break. You will have a calendar, or workout sheets, on which you will write down and keep track of these times. Then, during the other workouts done throughout that week, you can refer back to these start times and know what you have to beat. Even 1 second more on an exercise pushes you to bigger and better results. Remember, victory is always just
one more step. Just one more step. Can you take just one more step each day? I think you can.

Want to find out more about Insanity Max 30? Follow me on Facebook or Instagram, or simply click this Insanity Max 30 link and be put on my exclusive list for details, access to the early release date, and access to the exclusive discount. Remember! Insanity Max 30 comes out on December 4th for purchase through coaches only! Otherwise you need to wait. Get on the list and get it first!

What is Insanity Max 30?

Have you heard?

Shaun T is BACK!  with a spinoff of his #1, hardest-in-home-workout-ever-put-on -DVD-get-you -crazy-ass-results-workout INSANITY.

Now, I may be biased being a certified Insanity instructor - I teach multiple times a week because the original workout changed my life and I want to give that life change to others - but this workout - shoot - it looks AMAZING!

One of the reasons people love coming to my classes it that the majority of them are 30 minutes long. In. Out. Work up a sweat. Max calorie burn. That's how we roll and I have often times thought to myself, "If that second month of Insanity wasn't so long, I'd do it again - but my time is so limited".

I've said for a while that Shaun T and I should be BFFs and it seems that we've got that ESP(N) thing going on because he has HEARD. MY.PRAYERS!

Enter Max 30.

5 days a week
30 minutes a day
60 days total

We've got this.

And everything is new. Over 150 NEW MOVES will be a part of this workout, and if you checkout my Facebook or follow me on Instagram I'm going to be previewing some of them before they come out, along with their modifications.

Now before you say, "So basically this is just Insanity taken down to 30 minutes - isn't that less insane?" No. Definitely not.

In Insanity Max 30 Shaun T introduces Maxing out. Every. Minute Matters. Think of it like running - sometimes you just have to make it to the next telephone pole. Then the next one. Then the next one. It's about setting these small goals for yourself within the program going at your max, and when you max out, you write down the time.  The next time you do that workout, you look at those times "Okay, I made it to 45 seconds -- today I'm going to 50 seconds". Just like the original where it's a mind and body game - Max 30 is the same way. It's a test against yourself.

I'm going to be giving you short, but informative blogs about the workouts as we move on through the weeks leading up to the program's release date of December 4th (Ho Ho Ho! Do I see a gift idea?) I'll also be running sneak peak groups through my Facebook page that you can request to join as well to learn all you can. If you are already thinking that this sounds like a great idea, I encourage you to click on this Insanity Max 30 link and get on my exclusive list-why??? Because when it is released December 4th you can ONLY get it through a coach - it is not released to the general public until later in the month and as a coach - we get to offer discounts!!!

I really hope you are as excited about this new program as I am. I know it's going to be a game changer with my crazy schedule. Shaun T changed my life once - I know he's going to do it again!

Beachbody Coach Preview Group: Nov 10th- 14th

About 3 years ago I embarked on a "journey" that I had no idea was even starting. I signed up on a whim to get a discount on my Shakeology, and here I am, almost 3 years later a Star Diamond Coach who has paid off over $30K in credit card debt/car loans, is happier than she has ever been, and feels like she makes a difference. All because of making a choice to get a discount - I still laugh over that.

Maybe you are like "What is this kickass discount she is talking about?" or perhaps you may think "Well damn - let's not make this an accident, let's go all in and see where it takes me" and finally you may be thinking "Looks fun but I have no idea what the hell you are talking about". It's cool.

The Beachbbody Coach Preview Group sets out to show you everything in 5 days. Rather than going back and forth through a million texts or chat windows, this closed group is setup on Facebook. If you are interested you are added in, and each day I invite you into the life as a coach. You don't need to do anything. You don't sell anything. You read a post, you engage with a post, you might watch a short video that explains something better than I could. That's it. At the end of the 5 days you will know "I could so do this" or "Not for me".

So what if you decide to be a coach after these 5 days. Is that it? You are just thrown to the wolves? You are expected to know what is going on? No. Each month additional closed groups are run for just the coaches on our team. These groups show you: Coach Basics, Challenge Groups, Rank Advancing to Emerald/Diamond/Star Diamond, etc. In addition, each week there are training calls that you can choose to sit in on live, or listen to the recording when your schedule permits that shows you how to sell without being an annoying salesperson that gets blocked, how to run groups, how to find coaches, how to maximize/manage your income, etc. This is the one network where you really are never alone.

Does this sound something that you may be interested in? If so, feel free to drop me an email at nik4213@gmail.com or reach out to me on Facebook.com/nik4213 and I will make sure you get enrolled.

This was the best thing I ever did for myself, and I never thought that someone like me could go as far as I have with this - but the crazy thing is -- I actually BELIEVE I can go farther now! I want you to come with me, and I want to push you to the top! Reach out, give me a short amount of your time, and just SEE if it's right for you.

Holiday Crunch Challenge Group

The holidays are coming!!!!!

This means cookies, cakes, pies, candy, and the AMAZING dinner options that for many of us - only come around once a year!

You DON'T have to sacrifice your favorites this year in order to keep your results!

Our Holiday Crunch Challenge Group is a fitness and accountability group that will help you stay on track during this crazy holiday season. Here's what you can expect:

• inspiration
• accountability
• healthier recipes
• lessons on meal planning
• how to stay healthy on the go
• contests and prizes 
• and much more!

Connect with others like you! Talk about this year's gift giving strategies, hot items on your kids' lists, etc.

This group is being run by multiple health & fitness coaches so it will be very dynamic, very alive, and very helpful for all who decide to join.

So what do you need to do to start?

Simply contact the coach that sent you this link. He or she will get you setup with an in-home Beachbody fitness program, Shakeology, or both - that is guaranteed to meet your needs, get you results, and fit your budget. There really is something for every fitness level, every budget, and every goal range an speaking with a coach will help you to figure out which option is best for YOU!  Then, they will put you into the accountaiblity group where you will get everything mentioned above PLUS help with your individual fitness option.  We will not allow anyone to fail!

Let us help you make this year your best yet! The group opens on November 1st and rolls through December 31st. Challengers may join at ANY time!

We look forward to having you!

Interested in joining? Please email nik4213@gmail.com or reach out to me on Facebook! Facebook.com/nik4213

How to Achieve Your Goals by Considering the Consequences

Everything that we do in life involves consequences. There is a great quote that says, "You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences". The same can be said for the consequences behind not doing daily activities that move you closer to achieving your goals.

The obvious consequence is that the goal won't happen; however, for some people that is not enough to get them moving. And if that is you, that's okay. There is more that you can do.

Tony Robbins always says that anything we do, or seek, in life is a method for avoiding pain and increasing pleasure. With that being said, the consequences of you not achieving a certain goal can become a lot more serious when you think of the pain it could cause yourself and those around you.

Let's take the example of a woman who needs to lose a good deal of weight as prescribed by her doctor. She puts it off because she doesn't enjoy working out, and she loves food. She has a vacation to Disney World coming up. She has two little girls age 7 and 9, but mom can't ride any of the rides with them because she can't fit in the seats. In addition, mom chooses not to go in the pool with them because she doesn't feel like putting on a swimsuit. The family vacation that the girls were looking forward to is now greatly reduced in meaning and fun because the mother could not take the actions necessary to better herself. Her inaction has caused pain not only for herself by constantly being denied the ability to ride the rides, but by seeing the look on her girls faces. There's a little bit of embarrassment there, resentment, regret. The girls aren't having fun because mom can't join in and they are jealous of the kids around them that have parents playing with them.

As you can see, that example is full of a lot of pain. The consequence is not just, "If I don't watch what I eat I will not lose weight or become more healthy". Now the consequence behind the inaction takes on a much more serious role that dives into the emotions of not just the person not taking the action, but all of those around her. 

This is what you need to think of when you consider inaction towards a goal you have. Not just what is the obvious consequence if it doesn't happen, but how does that affect those around you. How does that make you feel? How does that make them feel? How does lack of completion push you forward?  After you have permitted yourself to explore those emotions, turn them around. Think of what happens when you DO achieve your goal. How will that make you feel? How will that make those around you feel? What can you provide them with now that you have accomplished what you set out to do? What can you now push yourself to do that you couldn't do before? Take those emotions, and run with them.

How to Achieve Success through Reverse Engineering

When I share my vision board for a new year in January to my social media audience, it is most commonly met with cheers of support from my friends. I mean, that's only natural right? You always want to support your friends and their goals. What surprises people the most, however, is when I post the vision board again at the end of the year showing what I had accomplished, and what still is left to be taken care of.

The difference between goal attainment and dreams is action taken on part of the individual. You can plan for hours, days, or even months on how you are going to develop a life that you feel that you deserve, but it will never amount to anything or go anywhere without action by YOU.

So how do I achieve everything I set out to do? I plan and I permit myself to have some fun in the meantime.

Life doesn't have to be so serious all the time, that's why my vision boards always contain business strategic goals, and fun little goals for myself.  But regardless if it's a business goal, a personal goal, or just a fun goal that you have set for yourself you need to plan.

The first step is writing down exactly what it is that you want.  What do YOU want? I'm not asking what other people want FOR you, I'm asking you what you want. This is not a list you have to show others, you can keep it to yourself. But get honest about it.

The second step is putting a date on it. When do YOU want it by? Now, some people will say go way outside of your comfort zone with this, but this is a step that I usually spend the most time on because I want my goals to be challenging, but not so much so that they seem impossible. When creating a goal, think about what you have now, what you will have in the future, and the amount of time you have to work on achieving it.  Most importantly, and this can be hard, but how much heart do you have behind it, because that is going to determine a lot of what you are willing to sacrifice to get there.

The third step is to write down everything you can think of that is needed to achieve that goal. This is called reverse engineering and is a step that is most often skipped, but one of THE MOST VALUABLE steps to take. This lays it all out for you. This gives you a clear picture of EXACTLY what you need to do. It is the rough draft of the story that you are about to create. After doing this, you might need to adjust your dates a little bit and that's okay, just make sure you are not laxing on yourself to the point where you will get lazy.

The final step: take action. Take massive action to make it happen. Take one goal at a time, look at it reverse engineered, and think of how you can take one step per day (or more) towards achieving those small items on the to do list of your goal.  

At first it's overwhelming, but practice makes perfect. Not to mention, every goal you mark off is a boost to your own self confidence, and your own belief in yourself which will push you further through life to achieve things you never thought possible.

3 Tips for Crushing an Overwhelming To Do List

When life hands you multiple tasks to do at once, what do you do? Do you run the other way? Do you put your nose to the grindstone and just “get it over with”? Or maybe you lock yourself in a closet and have a good cry (no judgment). We all handle stress differently, and this past week of my life really had me thinking about the way in which I manage mine.

 

My life is not simple. I work 50 hours a week at my regular job, do my coaching and other fitness training and meal planning with clients on average another 30 hours during the week, get my daily workouts in (or I would go insane), plus I am a full time graduate student. Life is anything but boring…but at the same time it can get very boring as a social life is limited.

 

This past week I let the stress get the best of me. I just freaked out, the brain went to a pile of mush, and rather than devising a plan of how to ease the situation – I shut down.   I just shut down, ignored anything that I had to do and did what most girls do best – I went shopping.

 

Now, here I am on a Sunday night when I could be relaxing trying to make sure that everything I had neglected the past week gets done so that I can start Monday fresh. Had I of just taken 10 minutes to organize my days, this would not be the case and I could be kicking back watching a DVRed episode of Real Housewives (so much better, right!?)  

Here are my tips to prioritizing your tasks, and knocking them out of the park:

 

Step 1: Write your shiz down. Anything you have to do during the day, write it down. I even like to write down weekly tasks that I must accomplish, and goals that I would like to achieve. I have a whiteboard in my office where these go and very morning I make sure I look and consider “Where am I with this?”

 

Step 2: Look for the ugliest, most boring one that you can find. What one do you want to put off the most? Do that first. Get it over with. It’s like a Band Aid…just rip it off.

 

Step 3: Physically cross things off of your list as you complete them. Believe it or not, this act releases feel good chemicals in your brain helping you to feel accomplished and a bit more excited about accomplishing the rest of your tasks on your list.

 

Hope this helps! It sure would have helped me to stick with my own advice last week, but you live and learn!

Want to see my life as it unfolds (along with all the craziness that goes along with it?) follow me on Instagram @Nik4213

Transformation Story: Ashley

In April I ran a free Abs Challenge for whoever wanted to join, with a friend of mine. We had over 50 participants, but one of the one's that stuck out to me was my friend, Ashley.

Ashley and I met through doing promotional work for various companies, and she's such a fun girl! We are very much alike in that we love to have a good time, enjoy some beers here and there, but most importantly one of the most important things to us is just being happy :)

Ashley enjoys health and fitness, so when I opened this group and it was just a few weeks until her trip to the Caribbean, she was all in. Hard work, dedication, and a modified diet helped her to get the results that she did. 

She did an amazing job and I am so proud of her! Way to go, Ashley! Here is her story:

"When I began this challenge, I was very skeptical. I knew I had to do something to get beach body ready and I had to do it quickly. Vacation was fast approaching and I was in a panic. I wanted to be one of those people who was proud to strut my stuff up and down the beach in my itty, bitty bikini. Abs has always been such a trouble area for me. I constantly work on them with little to no results. Being a woman that lost nearly 80lbs in my lifetime, my mid-section didn’t reap the same benefits as the rest of my body. Some things didn’t bounce back as quickly as others.

This challenge really threw me through a loop. Every week, I’d take “after” pictures and I’d become even more obsessed with my results. The workouts weren’t time consuming and they weren’t too difficult to do, but they gave me a challenge. Muscle confusion played a big part in my success. I believe the coaches designed a great workout plan that had variety as well as techniques to work on all trouble areas. The girls in the group were my main motivation and support. Without those ladies, I would have quit after day 3. Seeing the changes in all of us really pushed me to work harder and to not give up. I wanted to make myself proud, but I always wanted to make the ladies in the group proud. Honestly, their unconditional support moved me levels above where I was when I first began the challenge. It was also nice to discuss working out, problem areas, new tips, recipes, etc without feeling embarrassed. It was so comfortable. I’d definitely sign up for more challenges.

As a natural pessimist, I never thought a challenge group like this would work for me. I always saw them floating around my facebook page and I’d ignore them. I always thought online groups couldn’t possibly give me the results that I always strive for. Boy, was I wrong! Since April 1st, I’ve completed three challenges and I don’t plan on stopping. I’m so glad I took a leap of faith and joined this challenge. It has motivated me to push myself even harder to try new things!" - Ashley

Les Mills Combat Transformation

I am SO excited about this particular blog post because it is featuring a good friend of mine, Lindsay.  

Lindsay was someone I had been working with for about a year, trying to find a program that really spoke her language. She went through a few of them, but nothing really clicked. Nothing kept her engaged, excited, and continuously pushing play so she could get the results that she desired.  In addition, this girl had tried every shake on the market, just about, only to get an upset stomach from each one. I recommended Shakeology to her, and with proper usage she found that it was the one shake that not only tasted good, but more importantly did not make her sick.

I'm so proud of her today. She is an amazing inspiration to others, a mom (and a kickass mom at that), and one of her best qualities is that she doesn't apologize for who she is! She drinks beer, she likes birthday cake, and also enjoys bar food - SHE.IS.REAL and that's what I love most about her.

Here's her story:

How did you get hooked up with Nicole? "We met at pole dancing class!"

What's your deal?  "I got started January 1, 2013 because I was tired of flowy shirts and pants that didn't fit. I had tried 10 Minute Trainer wasn't for me. It was great time-wise, but I needed something else. I tried the gym - hate leaving my kids. I love combat because it kicks ass and I love Dan and Rach - they aren't your typical corny dvd trainers - Rach isn't some chic in hot pants that you want to punch." (I told you Lindsay was real, lol)

How is your life different now?  "Life has changed immensely! I cannot WAIT to shop for a baithing suit this year and not cry in the dressing room. I get up each day and look at my new toned body and I'm so proud of me - couldn't have done it without my shakes either though!"

What did your coach do to help you along? " Nicole helped me by not giving up on me. She knew I could do it and she didn't listen to any of my BS excuses.  She kept posting pics of her all toned up and I was jealous! She knew what it took to kept me going, and I knew I could do it if I put all of my BS aside and press play.   


Lindsay, as you can see, is definitely someone you don't want to meet in a back alley, lol, but she is more importantly a true inspiration. Being a mom takes up a lot of time (and her kids are in soccer  and dance, and if you have soccer kids or dance kids you now how that goes!) She works a regular 9-5, has a newer puppy to take care of, house chores just like the rest of us but she makes NO excuses and gets her workout in EVERY day.  Congratulations on your achievements, Lindsay! Can't wait to see what else is in store for you!

- See more at: http://www.nik4213.blogspot.mx/search?updated-max=2013-09-11T07:00:00-07:00&max-results=33&reverse-paginate=true#sthash.4lx31OKo.dpuf

How To Pick the Right Sports Bra

Ladies! This post is for you! Or fellas, maybe this would be a great gift for your female fitness friend...they fit right in a stocking! Haha!

If there is one problem that all females can relate to, it is the "boob issues" during working out. For some of my friends, I know that is one of the reasons why they do not ENJOY working out! I mean think about, it is SO uncomfortable to have things moving during a workout. Not only is it uncomfortable,but distracting! I am not even "blessed" in that area, and ANY movement just takes my workout from being enjoyable to "I want to quit".

Choosing the right support for you "friends" is important, not only for your own comfort and sanity, but for your workout! Think of how much focus is potentially pulled from your workout, to focus on the discomfort of a sports bra. The stress on your breasts is also an added weight for your body to work with as they "do their own thing", which in turn means harder work for your lungs and heart, believe it or not. So as you can see, securing "the girls" properly, has many, many benefits.

Now, not all sports bras are created equal! Just like your standard bras, there are options for every size and type.  Typically, three options are available to choose. Here is the rundown:

Compression Bras: These are the ones that smoosh you in and flatten you out. If you have over a B cup, these might not be for you. The comfort level of your "pride" is going to be very low, which may distract you from your workout. While the compression bra will definitely hold you in place, there are better options.

Now, if you are like me and a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, a compression bra might be just what you need. Unfortunately, it does not enhance the assets for us, but makes us even flatter; however, I have personally found these bras to work best for me with my workouts. There is no "movement".

Encapsulation Bras: These are great for those of you who are larger in the boob-area. Encapsulation bras adds in the compression of the compression bras, but separates it into two separate cups that will comfortably hold the girls in place.An added benefit of these is it is also less sweaty, if ya catch my drift.

"Little ladies" listen up! These are also becoming more popular in our size, as well and gives you SOMETHING instead of looking flat as a board :)  I do have a few of these, because I am very self-conscious in this area, but I still prefer compression bras if I am really going hard at something (like my Insanity workouts)

Underwire Bras: These offer additional support to suppress the jiggling, but honestly, I hate bras with underwire in them regularly so I do not know how comfortable these would be. If you have ever utilized one, I encourage you to comment so that we can have an idea of what they feel like while working out

So to sum it up, picking the right sports bra is important for your sanity, your focus, your comfort, AND your endurance. There are three kinds out there, and each is great for a particular kind of "pair". What I have listed are just guidelines based on my own experience, and I encourage you to see for yourself; however, if you are consistently feeling a bit "loose" in that area while you workout, it might be time to try something new. Also remember that sports bras don't last forever. Most last about 30-40 washes....so we will call that 6 months-ish.

Ladies, comment below: What's your favorite type/brand of sports bra and why?

For more articles about fitness fashion, assistance, tips tricks, and ideas visit this link! New articles are posted throughout the week that are extremely applicable to your every day life.

Getting Clear About What You Want

What is it that you want?

We all want so many things.  But wanting and achieving are two separate things. You can want all day long, but if you don't believe and visualize the achievement of the goal then you are just going to exhaust yourself over wanting.

This year my goal for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon was to drop ten minutes off of my finish time. I visualized myself crossing the finish line, looking at my watch, and seeing my goal time over and over. Even during the actual race itself, when I would get tired I would go back and visualize my finish and it never failed to make me kick it up a notch. I know that sounds funny, but it works. Sure enough, my run went the exact way that I had envisioned it, down to my placement in the finish chute (far left next to the spectators so their cheering pumped me up), the running style (long strides), the breathing (controlled: in through the nose, out through the mouth), the focus of my eyes (the medal), and the celebration (like Tom Cruise jumping on the couch on Oprah). What I had envisioned for myself I had allowed to manifest.

When I swam, I always thought "meditation time" was just a great excuse to get out of the pool, stop working out, and lay around. At 8 years old you do not understand the benefit of visualizing a start, a breakout, a flip turn, or a strong finish. All you care about is getting out of a workout (woohoo!). Fast forward to when I was about 12 years old and I actually started participating in the meditation with my teammates. I listened to my coaches voice with my eyes closed, I pictured myself prior to hopping up onto the starting block right down to me spitting into my goggles so they didn't fog up on me during my swim. I could feel the water hit my body as I entered in, I could feel my arms and legs cut through it with each paddle and kick. Once I started doing that, I started achieving my goal times with swimming and since, meditation has just sort of stuck.

Many people have a misconception about meditation. When you talk about meditation so many people think it is sitting in a zen-like room, repeating Oohms in complete silence. You could do that, but meditation can also be so much easier. You can meditate right before you go to sleep, when you first wake up in the morning, or even while at work. Meditation does not have to be as defined as you think it needs to be. It just needs to be structured in a way that it is done when you have a moment of quiet, and a moment where you can focus. It can last 1 minute or 30 minutes (or more). Once you have thought clearly about a particular idea multiple times, it is easy to take yourself to "that place" in your mind and visualize everything. Thus, meditation gets easier and more rewarding the more you do it.

Meditation allows us to get REALLY clear about what we want. In fact, studies have shown that if we close our eyes and imagine ourselves participating in a particular activity, that we can make ourselves experience the emotions associated with that activity as if it is really occurring. Don't believe me? Try it. And really try it, don't just close your eyes and say, "I'm picturing myself winning the lottery and I feel nothing". Allow yourself to wander for a while, enjoy the time "living" your dream, and then tell me you feel nothing. If you are feeling nothing, you are not clear about what you want. When you have a clear sense, a crystal clear vision, and a drive to achieve something you can picture your exact outcome.

Meditation isn't for everyone. There will always be those that say meditation is a crock of crap that doesn't work, and to each their own. For me, I keep breaking my goals and achieving success and I personally feel that meditation has helped me get to that point, so I'm going to keep on meditating. If you have never tried it, I suggest you give it a whirl. Start taking a few minutes each night this week before you go to bed and think about what you want. Do you want to quit your job? Do you want to take your family on a dream vacation? What about buy a new car? The following steps will help you start to meditate on such an idea in order to help compel you to take action and reach your goals:

1) Envision your goal in its most basic form. What do you want?

2) Get more specific. If you want a new car, what kind, what color, what features, does it have tinted windows? Specify your want.

3) Imagine yourself achieving your goal. If it's a car, imagine your hands gripping the soft leather of the steering wheel. Imagine the key in your hands as you put into the ignition for the first time (or maybe you push to start). What does the engine sound like. Are you in your driveway, or at the dealership? Window up or down? Is there a breeze?

4) "Live" your goal. Take a few minutes to drive in your new car. What are you seeing as you drive past? Who are you waving to? Where are you going? What does the sun feel like on your skin as it comes in through your window.

This is what I mean by getting CLEAR. Your vision needs to be a movie of your achievement playing in your mind. Again, this takes practice but the more you practice, the clearer it will become, the more realistic it will become, and without knowing it you will start to take the necessary actions needed to achieve it.

Dream on!