Get up!

Do Not Give Up!!!! if you need to start over, then start over, but never throw in the towel and quit. I have met you and you made the choice to begin. Find that passion again, find your reasons that you wanted to begin and start over. What do you need to motivate yourself?

Reach deep down inside of yourself and you will find the drive, the passion, and the power to be successful again!!!

If you're reading this then you committed to getting healthy, and making yourself happy. Are you still making those choices every day? Small decisions everyday will lead you to where you want to be.

That Perfect Hourglass Body

Don't Want To Be Ripped? Then It's Time To Shape An Hourglass Body

A few simple exercises can give you this sleek and sculpted physique.

by Shannon Clark Sep 21, 2011

There will always be females who want to build a muscular body, widen their delts, grow strong quads, and get a full-on set of ripped abs. But many women don't desire this look.

You might want an hourglass shape: feminine, with curves in all the right places. You still want to maintain lower body fat levels so you will see some muscle tone, but you definitely don't want that lean look where veins pop and clear muscle definition is seen.

You want long, streamlined legs, a slim waist, and hips that give the illusion of the hourglass appearance. You want a curvy bottom that closely resembles that of popular celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez or Beyonce. Finally, you want toned arms that have a softer appearance to round out your figure so you feel great in sleeveless shirts.

So how do you go about obtaining this look? Should your training differ from that of the woman who wants more muscle? You better believe it should.

General workout principles will apply regardless of what your desired body type happens to be. There are some clear differences that need to be in place to create the look you're after.

Let's walk you through some main focus areas to obtain an hourglass physique.

Whether you want hard muscle or softer curves,
there's a way to sculpt them.

1: Your Body Fat Level Is Key

The first major consideration you must face is where your body fat levels are. For females, this is going to have a distinct difference on the look you want to obtain.

When going for the hourglass look and a fit body that still has a soft and feminine side, you'll want slightly higher body fat levels, but still in the low-healthy range. Aim for 17-25%.

Women who dip below 17% and into the lower teens will begin showing greater muscle definition and could start losing some of the natural curves in the bust and hip regions.

Remember, females will preferentially store body fat in these areas. It's part of what makes you a woman. So the leaner you get, the more these areas will be reduced.

At the same time, since you're still looking for a thinner look overall (and not heavy or 'boxy'), don't add too much muscle. Some muscle is good, but adding too much muscle along with higher fat levels will lead to a thicker appearance in the legs, waist and arms.

Fortunately for most women, they don't readily build muscle quickly so this shouldn't be hard to avoid. If you have been athletic throughout your life and already have a significant amount of muscle present on your frame, you may want to back off the volume of weight lifting to prevent the addition of more muscle growth.

Think of her as an ancient sculptor,
and these weights as her tools. Only she's hot.

2: Favor Glute-Friendly Workouts

What you should focus on is concentrated effort toward glute-dominant lower-body work. This is going to give you the rounded backside you look for without too much additional quad development, which would increase the overall width of the thighs.

Start with good glute-oriented exercises: walking and stationary lunges, single-leg deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts, single leg squats, split squats, step-ups with a higher bench and the leg press exercise with feet placed higher on the foot pad. Altering foot placement on this machine will change the stress loading pattern on the muscles slightly so you get a larger glute-dominant exercise.

When performing each of these exercises, squeeze your glutes to help move through the movement pattern. If you let other muscles come into play and do too much of the work, your glutes will receive little stimulation.

The quads are the most powerful muscle in your lower body. In each of the exercises listed above (with the exception of deadlifts) the quads could carry out the movement on their own.

Some quad activation is fine and will always be expected, but you don't want to totally isolate the quads to the extent that the glutes aren't contracting maximally.

Some people may find by performing quad isolation exercises beforehand, such as leg extensions or the leg press with the feet low on the foot plate, they can fatigue their quads so extensively that they won't come into play as much when doing these activities.

Take the plunge and try the lunge. Your butt will thank you.

3: Don't Perform Side Bends Or Weighted Ab Work

Building an hourglass physique means avoiding weighted ab work.

Some women make the mistake of thinking weighted ab work is a great way to firm up their love handles and achieve the toned, fit look they desire. The only thing weighted side bends or ab work may do is cause an increase in the thickness of the waist, making you look boxy, not curvy.

To create this look, it's important that your waist be as small as possible. Body frame size will limit this to some extent. If you develop larger muscles in the core region - especially the obliques - you won't do yourself any favors.

Instead, focus on isometric ab exercises. These movements will help you maintain better control over the abs so you can easily hold them in place, creating the illusion of a thinner waistline.

Isometric exercises are also challenging from a muscular strength point of view. They should produce excellent improvements in your core fitness.

Trying to slim down with hours of abs exercises?
You may be hurting your efforts.

4: Develop Your Lats

The last step you'll want to take on your mission to get yourself an hourglass physique is bringing up your lat muscles.

By increasing the size of the lat muscles you're going to great a very nice 'V' shape to the body, further enhancing that slim waist. Since most females don't have the body structure to build extreme amounts of muscle in this region, you won't have to worry about getting too bulky.

The best lat-building exercises to perform are lat pull-downs, dumbbell pull-overs, assisted pull-ups and if you can, normal-style pull-ups.

Now you have the top areas to focus on if you hope to develop an hourglass physique. You can change the overall way your body looks if you train wisely and know precisely what you want.

Many people don't fully understand what their physique goals are and understand even less how to go about getting there. That is a problem. If you follow all of the steps illustrated above, the hourglass figure can be yours, provided you're also able to maintain a lower but healthy body fat 

Breaking Through

                                                                                 

      Soon I will posting a part of my story and where my "why" comes from. This is the toughest part of my life that I will be sharing with you all. I feel it is important for me to let you know what I have been through in  my life and what has lead me to where I 

am today. For me my journey has been for the mental transformation. Of course physical fitness is a huge part of my life, but the way that it makes you Feel is much more important to me than how it makes you look.

  

    How you feel about yourself, being able to move on from the past and not let it weigh you down anymore is a huge accomplishment. Being able to control your body and mind through fitness and nutrition is a skill that you have to teach yourself.
   
    I will let you know that before moving here to Okinawa I was on anti-depressant / anti-anxiety medication off and on for the past 7 (almost 8 years). In my first year of marriage we were stationed overseas and we had life events happen that could make or break a marriage. I will tell you that we could not have grown any stronger. We made it through the Toughest year in our life while away from family and made some friends that we will never forget.
   
         Since I signed on a coach I have known that sharing your story is a huge part in having success. Others are having to open and share their struggles with you in order to lose weight and get happy, so why wouldn't I have to share mine. This task has been on my mind for months. It has not been an easy story to think about and to share it with others had my mind going back and forth. I'm having pretty good success with just being myself and reaching out. So, why should I even worry myself with sharing my "why". The Real "Why" that comes from way deep down. I know that because this issue lingers constantly in my mind that I must share it.

    This is my first attempt to opening up to everyone and I will put my entire story out to everyone very soon.

    After months of asking myself why I'm afraid to let you all in I've come to a realization. Not wanting to see, read, and hear the reactions from everyone, the sympathies and condolances is not worth missing the chance to reach out and help so many others. Allowing everyone to see my pain that I have come through is Huge for me. But I know that there are others going through similar circumstances that I can help. I will never forget those that have been there for us through the years. I want to be able to reach out with all my heart and help others in every way that I can.

 To give back, continue to grow, and help others overcome their struggles is my life mission.


So, here is me, putting my toes in water and testing it out. I will dive in next! I hope you're ready to move forward and grow upward from what life throws your way.

Great news for MIlitray Coaches & Customers!!!

Military Personnel & Spouses: Great News! Not only is your Beachbody coach account FREE, you get 25% Discount, 25% Commission, now We will be shipping APO/FPO packages via USPS, Priority Mail starting Sept 16th!
"We wanted to make sure that these folks & their immediate families, who are serving our country & protecting our freedoms, have access to this opportunity so they can build an income & organization to which they can transition when they retire from service."
Carl Daikeler, CEO BB.

jaydpaul@gmail.com and me ask how to get started

Click here to get started making an impact in others lives!

Ground Turkey Recall

My Fav alternative from Ground Beef has yet another recall. I will be checking the packages that I just bought today before I heard of the recall. Thankfully we haven't gotten sick and the only brand sold to us over here is Foster Farms (not on the list). Here are the details.


   
The USDA and the Minnesota-based meat giant announced Wednesday evening that the recall would include fresh and frozen ground turkey products produced at the company's Springdale, Ark., plant from Feb. 20 through Aug. 2.

  
The recall affects more than 25 different types of ground turkey. All of the packages in question contain the code "Est. P-963," according to Cargill. The packages were labeled with many different brands, including popular ones like Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms.
Here is the full list of recalled products:

Ground Turkey Chubs - Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11

• 10 lb. chubs of Honeysuckle White Fresh Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 10 lb. chubs of Unbranded Ground Turkey w/ Natural Flavoring 2 Pack
• 80 oz. (5 lbs.) chubs of Riverside Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
• 10 lb. chubs of Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh Lean HEB Ground Turkey 93/7
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh HEB Ground Turkey 85/15
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
• 4-1 Pound Packages of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring Value Pack
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey
• 48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey

85% Ground Turkey - Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11

• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey Colored with Paprika
• 19.2 oz. (1 lb. 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
• 48.0 oz. (3 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
• 20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 48.0 oz. (3 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey Family Pack
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White Seasoned Italian Style Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
• 20 oz. (1 lb. 4 oz.) trays of Safeway Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings * 15% Fat
  (NOTE: Sold in Texas only at Randall's and Tom Thumb, Use or Freeze by 03/12/11 through 05/05/11)

93% Ground Turkey - Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11

• 19.2 oz. (1.20 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
• 48 oz. (3.0 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey Family Pack
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Fit & Active Lean Ground Turkey 93/07
• 19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Giant Eagle Ground Turkey Fresh & Premium Lean
• 19.2 oz. (1 lb 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh Lean 93/7
• 20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey

Ground Patties

• 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey Patties with "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Seasoned Turkey Patties Fresh 85/15, with "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
• 16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey Burgers with Natural Flavoring with the following "Use by" or "Freeze by" dates: 07/09/11, 07/10/11, 07/11/11, 07/15/11, 07/16/11, 07/21/11, 07/22/11, 07/24/11, 08/01/11, or 08/04/11

Frozen Ground Turkey - Production Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/2/11

• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
• 16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Spartan Ground Turkey
• 48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
• 40 lb. Bulk Packed Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring for Food Service Use Only

Consumers with questions about this recall should contact Cargill's consumer relations toll free telephone number at 1-888-812-1646.
Even if you purchased contaminated ground turkey, the government says it's safe to eat if it is cooked to 165 degrees. It's also important that consumers wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling the meat. Turkey and other meats should also be properly refrigerated or frozen and leftovers heated.

Make a difference Every Day

Do we ever stop changing? Does anything ever
stay still or stagnant? NO. neither will you, neither will your business, neither will your workouts and your health. There is some kind of myth going around about needing a transformation to be a coach, that in order to be successful you NEED a transformation.


This is simply fear and a close mind telling you that you CANT do it. Well guess WHAT?! You can, and you WILL! WHY?! because you are apart of TEAM DYNASTY. You are constantly
bettering yourself because you don’t settle for
less. Even the accomplished athletes and body enthusiasts are working towards a personal goal, they are never done. People WANT to see your journey, they want to believe in you, but you NEED to believe in yourself. So what you aren’t at your goal weight or body! This is a journey, you must endure it and be vulnerable to share your story, that is how you keep accountable and that is how you will help other people!
That fear of the unknown is limiting you from the change necessary to take you to the life you deserve and want. You have to let the fear of not having a transformation at hand GO. I have had a successful business while in my transformation and I think it’s given me a different experience because I shared it with everyone while doing it! I endured the LOVE and criticism I got. It made me stronger, happier, and more appreciative. Don’t let a before and after photo hold you back! While a transformation is an important aspect, it’s something that only you can accomplish, and you will have that after photo to share. But as Craig Holiday says, “Leadership is action, not position”. If you are constantly taking action to better your health, fitness, life then you are a LEADER because you are going outside of your comfort zone to do it. If someone who has a transformation doesn’t do anything with it, doesn’t share it or help people, it does not make them a leader. People watch and look to you for encouragement and inspiration, and learn that from you and turn around to do the same. You CAN do this! <3

-Abby Fix