The benefits of being a Beachbody Coach

Wow!! It's been quite awhile since I last posted. Apologies :)  Instead of going over all the excitement from the past few months (I may delve into this later), I'm going to post about the BENEFITS of being a coach. One thing that I'm always asked when people find out that I'm a fitness coach is, "Does that stuff actually work?? How much weight have you lost?" They're very interested in exact numbers, which I can somewhat understand, but I want people to see that there's so much more than just pounds lost when it comes to one's fitness journey and deciding to become a coach.

So here's a few benefits that I've personally experienced....


1) Confidence
I have SO much more confidence in myself. I now have stronger belief that I can achieve my goals, finish that challenging workout or fitness program, or face whatever hurdle is in front of me (fitness related or not). Before, I was way too insecure or down on myself. I frequently had negative thoughts like, "I can never do that" or "That will never be me" or "Others are just lucky, and I'm not." These workouts and the amazing and inspiring community that is Team Beachbody has taught me that I CAN do whatever I set my mind to, and why shouldn't I be able to? Isn't it at least worth trying?


2) Strength
I have increased physical strength and endurance. I get less winded running up the three floors of my house. I'm able to carry heavier groceries with more ease (20lb kitty litter boxes no longer make me huff and puff!). Since I LOVE to travel, it's also easier for me to carry my luggage around airports and up and down stairs. Not only am I physically stronger, I am MENTALLY stronger. This ties into my increased confidence, since I feel better about myself, I also have more mental resilience. Things that used to bother me or set me back in the past no longer have their powerful hold over me. Granted, I still get my feelings hurt and sometimes dwell too much on negative things, but it happens less frequently. 

3) Discipline
I now know, with 100% confidence, that I will not die if I work up a little sweat or don't eat that piece of chocolate. I'm more disciplined and stay on track more easily (not to say I'm perfect 100% of the time, because that's not true. But much improvement has been made).  Once I learned that being healthy is a LIFESTYLE and not some passing fad or temporary phase, it becomes a priority and a daily thing. I learned that living healthy makes me FEEL better (and stronger and more confident etc...), and this gives me more determination to stay on this path.


4) Happiness
Due to 1-3 above (and I won't lie, #5 below), I am a HAPPIER person. Not only this, but since one major part of coaching is HELPING others, I am able to follow my passion of making a positive difference in the lives of others. And for me, this is where it's at. I love being able to motivate, inspire, and help others achieve their goals (whatever that goal may be). When my coaches and clients "get it," I get chills! It makes me want to cry because I am so happy for them. I personally feel that life has handed me a full bucket of great opportunities and people in my life, and I feel like it's my responsibility to pass that on and help as many other people as possible. Following my passion and dreams makes me a happy girl.


5) Smaller pants
Once I started eating better (and drinking my Shakeology every day vs sporadically) and working out, I noticed the pounds started dropping. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a work in progress (but honestly, who isn't??).  I crunched the numbers today, and I found out that once I was CONSISTENT in these healthy habits, I was able to drop 10 pounds of FAT. When I learned that I could easily pull down most of my pants (fully zipped and buttoned up), I realized that I truly was shrinking and it was time to go shopping! (picture below is SOME of the pants I've had to donate since they passed the "pull down" test!)

6) Fatter bank account
When I first signed up as a coach, I figured it'd be a great way to keep me accountable with my own fitness/nutrition and provide a fabulous path to truly HELP others change their lives (plus, a discount on Shakeology and fitness programs?!? YES please!!). The added bonus is that by doing this, I've been able to help fatten up my bank account. Is there a better "job" than this?! Get paid to help people get healthy, while getting healthy yourself? I can't imagine a better win-win situation!


So those are only a FEW of the benefits I've experienced in my own life from coaching in these few short months. I'm eager to see where else this path will lead me and what else I'll learn about myself in the process! 


Questions or comments about coaching or your own fitness and health? I'm here to help! Feel free to post below or check out www.kimmielong.com. Don't forget to connect with me at www.facebook.com/Kimmie.Long19 

The Revelation. Dun dun dun... Becoming a Beachbody Coach!

So here it is: The "Revelation." It happened during the "Hot for the Holidays" challenge with Jenelle and the other awesome group participants. It was when all of the the things that I had read about, seen, been told, discussed, experienced, and thought about all combined into one big "BAM! I FINALLY get it. I must take action!"

It didn't matter how many times I had read or been told something. It's one thing to be told your whole life that you're smart, capable, kind, loving, etc. It's a completely DIFFERENT thing to actually internalize this and believe it for truth. By nature, I'm cautious and skeptical. I'm a cynic. I need to see it to believe it, and even after it's been seen, a small part of me still wonders if it's for real. This is an intrinsic part of who I am, BUT I realized that there's another side that I haven't nurtured: the side that says I believe in myself. It's the side that says I can do anything!  This new found realization lead to the moment when I decided to take the plunge and become a Beachbody Coach (more about this in a future post).

I haven't felt this empowered and inspired in a long time. It's been quite awhile since I've felt such unconditional support, patience, and understanding from others, outside of my close circle of friends and family (and it seems many of my friends and family don't fully support or understand this choice). This decision to be a coach re-ignited my passion for helping people, for creating a positive change in the lives of others. I decided it was time to be the person I WANTED to be. It was time to give up the person I "thought" I was or wanted others to think I was, and it was time to nurture and develop the person I AM deep down inside (but was too scared of what others may think to let her out).

Sometimes, when you go through things in life or start something new, there's uncertainty, perhaps confusion or mixed emotions. However, at the end of the journey you can look back on the events that transpired and go, "Ahh, I see it now. Such-and-such had to happen so I could learn/grow/experience/etc." During this revelation, it was almost as if I could see into the future. I saw a path laid out in front of me that would lead me to greater financial freedom, that would continually encourage and inspire me, that would provide me an additional road to fulfill my life purpose of helping others. I envisioned new friends, new life lessons, more personal development. I saw a more free, more confident, more successful Kimmie. Sure, there's going to be challenges and obstacles to overcome. Of course, it's not going to be easy 100% of the time. Though, I am already CERTAIN it WILL be worth it. It already is. :)




www.kimmielong.com

Still Pre-Revelation...

Okay, so I finished Chalean Extreme, was in awe that I could stick to something for 3 months and lose weight and gain muscle tone. That wasn't the revelation though...

In Chalean Extreme, which I will henceforth refer to as "CLX," there was this woman in the DVD's, Jenelle, who is Chalene's sister. Throughout the DVDs, the only thing I could think of was, "Wow, I wish I had  Jenelle's body!" In my opinion, she's the ideal image of a healthy woman who represents fitness, strength, and inner and outer beauty. I started following her on Facebook because she posted so many great tips/advice and always seemed so positive!

One day, I was browsing through Facebook and saw that Jenelle was hosting a 30 day challenge for a small group of people who were committed to getting in shape! Many people already said they were "attending," so I decided two take a risk and click "attending" as well. I really had no idea what "small group" meant. Is that 3 people? 30 people? I also had NO idea what I was getting myself into. Was it a special fitness program? Any fitness program? She promised success if we followed everything she said, and I figured I was already on a roll from finishing CLX, why not take it to the next step? It was a quick moment of bravery and "what have I got to lose?" mentality.

Well, as fate or God would have it, I was accepted into her group! I chose Insanity by Shaun T as my fitness program and restarted drinking Shakeology every day. The group, which was full of AMAZING women, and I went on this path of health, fitness, and nutrition. Throughout the 4 weeks, we provided each other with moral support, admitted our weaknesses, were complimented on our strengths, and were encouraged to do our best and keep striving for improvement. It was (and still IS) an AMAZING group of individuals who continually inspire me and push me, whether or not they know this. I never realized, until the challenge, how important ACCOUNTABILITY is! By nature, I'm very private, and I don't like letting people know personal things about myself, but I quickly learned that having others hold you accountable is NECESSARY for the best results. With this group I felt free and open to admit a less than stellar dinner or a skipped workout, and I was provided with endless motivational quotes and "get your booty back in gear" talks (which were both wanted AND needed!).

Slowly, but surely, wheels started shifting in my brain, and the "Revelation" occurred during this challenge...

Looking Ahead to the New Year

Okay, so after some debate, I decided to share my top 5 New Year's Goals with you guys! I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it at first because I was scared that if I didn't achieve them, I'd feel embarrassed, let down, disappointed, etc, and those feelings would only be compounded by the fact that OTHERS are privy to my failure. Though, they say one of the best ways to achieve your dreams is to have others hold you accountable!  So I'm taking a risk, and here it goes....

By the end of 2012, I will
1) Weigh 5 lbs above my HS gymnast weight (sorry, not disclosing numbers here) ;)
2) Have 6 months salary in savings for emergencies
3) Be a Diamond Team Beachbody Coach
4) Have read the Bible
5) Have traveled to one city I've never been before (place TBD)

There's a few other goals, but those are the top ones (and most specific and measurable). I also want to become more confident in myself and my abilities, to nurture happy and healthy relationships with friends and family (which also means focusing on those who count, and letting go of those relationships that are damaging or unhealthy), and to help people as much as possible. I want to become someone that others find solace and inspiration in, and I want to become more positive (which is VERY difficult given my skeptical and somewhat pessimist personality). I want to feel fit and healthy and energetic. I want to find more things that I'm passionate about and dive headfirst into them, without fear or hesitation. I want to follow my bliss and do things that make ME happy, without worrying so much about what others think of me. I need to remember my endless blessings and pass them on to those less fortunate or in need. I must keep in mind that life is about lessons, learning, expanding, growing, and trying new things (and yes, maybe that includes occasional failure, but hopefully it also means triumph in the end).

I feel like I have a head start on some of the above non-measurable goals...I booked a trip to return to London (something I've been wanting to do for YEARS). I signed up for a cooking class (to try something new and expand my knowledge base). Plus, becoming a Beachbody Coach is something I would have been too scared to attempt a few years ago, but I'm taking a risk with it and hoping for (expecting for?) the best. I also booked a trip for Beachbody's annual Summit in Vegas this summer, which is a risk because at the moment, I don't truly know people going (except from Facebook group interactions), and I'll be forced to step outside my comfort zone and try to be outgoing. Eeeek!!!



http://www.amazon.com/PUSH-Turbocharged-Habits-Bangin-Deserve/dp/1609613333/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326166851&sr=8-1

Here's some tips from Chalene Johnson's PUSH book when creating a list of goals:
Your goals should mesh with your priorities
They should be personal and professional
They should take you out of your comfort zone
Write your goals in the present tense
Include ones that push you to make a personal change
Include one financial goal
List one health goal with a specific measure

Your goals should also be specific, measurable, achievable, rewarding, and time-sensitive.

What are YOUR 2012 goals/resolutions? Be brave enough to DREAM big and take TAKE the steps towards those goals!

Reflecting on 2011

I know 2012 just started, and this is the perfect time to gear up for the year ahead (which I've started to do), but I really just want to take some time to reflect on the past year...

In 2011, I...
-Traveled (NYC, Hawaii, Key West FL, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood FL twice, Islamorada FL twice,  Homestead FL twice, San Francisco, Chicago, Oak Brook IL multiple times, O'Fallon IL, Cannelton IN)
-Saw baseball games in Indianapolis, Chicago, San Francisco
-Welcomed a baby niece in August
-Was asked to be a Godmother for a sorority sister's daughter
-Saw concerts (Jon McLaughlin twice, NKOTBSB, Maroon 5, Train, Leann Womack)
-Saw musicals (Avenue Q, Nine to Five, Grease, Spring Awakening, Rock of Ages, Beauty and the Beast, Million Dollar Quartet)
-Went to Dig IN Indiana and the Vintage Indiana Wine Fest
-Had my first experience with a palm reader/tarot card reader lady and another lady who talks to spirits
-Saw my first ballet, The Nutcracker
-Became an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. For the first time in a LONG time, found myself feeling truly inspired and empowered and capable of helping to complete my lifelong mission of making a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others.
-Countless dinners, drinks, movies, and quality time with family and friends

It wasn't a perfect year. There were many periods of hurt, pain, anger, frustration, sadness, and regret. I don't want to minimize these "down" times, because I have to remember that they were given to me for a reason and will (hopefully) ultimately make me a stronger and more resilient person. Fortunately, the good seems to outweigh the bad, and I'm more determined than ever to make this new year even BETTER.

How was YOUR year?

Pre-Revelation

Okay, so cruise was over, cold weather was in full swing. I figured there was no point in working out, ever, unless I had to be seen in anything less than a sweater and jeans. New Years 2011 came and went, and as usual, I made a resolution to get in shape and lose weight. I decided to try this other Beachbody program called Chalean Extreme. The trainer is this super spirited woman named Chalene Johnson. They advertised that up to 50% of your body fat could be lost because "muscle burns fat!" Since I HATED anything cardio-related, I figured this would be the perfect program for me. It focuses on lifting slow and heavy to increase muscle mass, therefore increasing metabolism. Needless to say, after a couple weeks, I either got sick or went on vacation or lost motivation and gave up. Months went by...

Next, summer came around (and with it, tank tops and shorts).Warmer weather leaves me antsy and gives me the motivation to be productive, and I found myself restless with any extra time on my hands. I figured this was the perfect time to try Chalean Extreme again, and this time, I would do it right and would see it through the scheduled 12 weeks. I invested in some heavier weights and giggled when the middle aged woman at the local Meijer seemed SHOCKED that I was buying 25lb dumbbells because they looked "so heavy!" There were a couple cardio DVDs weekly, which I didn't really enjoy because me + cardio = no, so I would sometimes trade those out for an hour on the elliptical at the gym (Yes, I joined a new gym. And yes, it was a short lived phase, again).  However, I actually FINISHED the 3 months! I loved listening to Chalene's words of wisdom and motivation.  I ended up losing a few pounds (granted, not the 50% body fat reduction I was hoping for), but it was nice to start seeing some definition in the mirror. I could feel my old gymnast body returning (very very slowly). As per usual, I didn't really focus on my diet as much as I should have, so my results weren't as drastic as they could have been. I have a hard time following meal plans, and it is SUPER hard making meals for one person (especially because I only have 1-2 ingredients per recipe at any given time, and I don't really see the point in buying a whole container/bag/etc of something if I only need a small portion of it).

Needless to say, my confidence was increasing, my body was improving, and I didn't yet know that this experience would lead me to a fantastic new adventure and business opportunity... ;)

The "After College" Years

So I eventually graduated college one spring, got a job, and moved into a new apartment. I was never really taught how to cook growing up, and it definitely wasn't a skill learned during my college years. I knew the basics of how to boil water and read how much time a frozen dinner had to be microwaved for, but that was pretty much it. I figured that since I work in the health field, I wanted to be the image of health, which (to me) meant being fit and thin. I wasn't really sure how to go about this mission, especially since one of the ladies I worked with would often bake DELICIOUS cakes throughout the week and leave them in the employee lounge. Then after work, I'd be famished from trying to eat minimally at breakfast and lunch, so I'd often drive to the nearest "fast food" type place (ie Qdoba, Jimmy Johns, Chipotle, Panera, etc). Was I telling lies when I said I never ate fast food because the places I went to didn't have a drive-thru? Hmm...

Well, summer came around, and I was feeling pretty bored with my lackluster life. I wasn't sure how to handle all the time on my hands after graduating since I no longer had professional fraternity and social sorority meetings, in addition to all the other clubs and organizations and volunteer work I did as a collegiate. Sure, I had friends and a social life, but it's not like we saw each other every day anymore since we no longer had classes together or lived only a 2 minute walk away from each other. Shopping became an expensive habit. So, I joined a gym near my apartment complex. I was too embarrassed and shy to try to use the weight machines, and I hated treadmills and stair steppers, which means I only used the elliptical (and sometimes the bike). Obviously, doing that for a few months ends up being quite repetitive and BORING. I also came down with a horrible case of bronchitis that fall, and I was left with an awful cough that refused to go away. Do you think I went to the gym while having trouble breathing and feeling sick and tired and coughing 24/7? Uh, that's a big fat NO. So I stopped going to the gym and gave up.

Fast forward a year. A friend and I made plans to go on a cruise. She was way thinner than me and was one of those people I thought was crazy for actually LIKING to work out and go running. I refused to be seen in a bikini next to her unless I had a total body transformation (we even made jokes about wearing modest swimwear in the likes of this: http://www.modestswimwearsolutions.com/swimsuitpictures.htm). Through her co-worker, I was introduced to the idea of a Shakeology cleanse (which we thought would be a great idea to help us lose those last couple pounds and feel confident while sipping drinks poolside). This was my first exposure to a company called Beachbody.

Being the Google-Freak that I am, I immediately went online to learn all that I could about this Shakeology and Beachbody company (Did I want a body that was ready for the beach? Heck yes!). I liked that they were home workout programs and figured that would be ideal for me. I wouldn't be self-conscious about getting all gross and sweaty because I was in the privacy of my own home. I wouldn't care if I couldn't complete the workout or had trouble with moves because there was nobody else to judge me or compete with me. Plus, the Slim in 6 program I purchased promised a great body in only six weeks! (The cruise was about 8 weeks from that point). It was perfect timing!

I completed the program, and I definitely saw a change in my body (was that almost a six-pack shining through?). Unfortunately, as per usual, I didn't work on my diet as much as I worked on my body. So while I saw results, they weren't as dramatic as they could have been had I followed the included diet with the program. But hey, I figured any improvement was better than nothing, so I took it.

After the cruise, there was nothing worth trying to maintain my new body over, so I gave up (again) and stopped working out. I just didn't see the point in getting all sweaty and pushing my body if there wasn't a a superficial reason behind it. Plus, by then it was fall/winter and that means layers and baggier clothes to cover up my wobbly bits. Bad logic? Of course.

Obviously, by this point, I was in a cycle rut. I assumed this would be my unwanted future. Luckily, little did I know, there would be a "Revelation" coming my way :)