HOLIDAY MOTIVATION

3 Ways to Stay on Track in the Holiday Season

Holidays can be the WORST when it comes to staying on track with your health and fitness goals.  From people shoving cookies in your face at work, to family and friends gifting you chocolates and candy, and that's just the beginning of the terrible, mean, horrific things that happen all around us with food this time of year.

In this blog, I'm going to give you three ways to do your best with staying on track so at the minimum you can avoid the extra five pound holiday-weight that almost everyone gains during these 6 weeks.  If you're already starting to freak out about the holiday season and food, then this article will put your mind at ease.

1. MAKE EVERY DAY AROUND EVERY HOLIDAY OR EVENT COUNT

Here's what I mean by rule #1. Do not become one of those people who says to themselves, "When Monday comes, I'll get back on track." or, "After Thanksgiving weekend I'm going to stay focused up until Christmas."  Let's be honest here, you probably won't start on Monday, nor will you stay focused up until Christmas.  Every single day counts.  Let me put that out there again: EVERY SINGLE DAY COUNTS. So, get your mind right now, and take every single day as it comes, and plan for your food for every single day leading up to your holidays. Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday, so that means that all the way up until Wednesday you should be focused on your nutrition.  It also means that on Friday, you should be back at your nutrition just like you were on Wednesday.  Oh you have left over stuffing, and mashed potatoes, and blah, blah, blah, blah...STOP IT! If you have guests over send food home with them, and keep the items that you know can be considered healthy, and get back on track.  Which leads me to #2...

2. COOK HEALTHY FOOD FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Thanksgiving is the perfect example of this.  Outside of stuffing and pie (which even then these items can be made 'healthier'), turkey does not need to be smothered in butter, mashed potatoes can be made with stock rather than butter and cream, and your squash, peas, and other side items can be made relatively healthy.  So what the heck is all the fuss about then? "Oh, it's so hard to have all that food in the house and not to eat it!" WHAT? You have protein and veggies for the most part, and as long as you prepare them in a healthy way, you can have your Thanksgiving dinner for three nights in a row and it won't show on your waist line at all. Don't become a victim in this scenario and act like eating crap happens to you...you control what you put in your mouth, and if you're hosting dinner, you control what goes on your table (for the most part). Indulge on the special day, but don't make everything with a stick of butter and then cry about how you can't eat leftovers. Make it healthy and clean, and then you can enjoy the leftovers like everyone else in your family.

3. GET YOUR FREAKING WORKOUTS IN!

No, you cannot outrun a bad diet.  We have all heard this saying. However, you can keep your metabolism going strong all day everyday if you just make working out daily a priority. The more muscle we put on our body, the faster our metabolism, the more fat we burn, and the more calories we can consume. I worked with a guy that was muscularly HUGE, and most of the time I was just disgusted watching the amount of food he consumed, but he was the prime example of this scientific fact. If you make your workouts a priority, then the extra calories that you consume around the holidays will do very little when it comes to added pounds or extra inches around your waist. If you become one of those people who takes this time of year as an opportunity to overeat, and then also become sluggish and inactive, then you're really just asking to not only look like you've thrown in the towel, but to also feel that way.  I'm notorious for working out on holidays.  I wake up early, put in a solid 30-45 minutes, hit it hard, and then I eat what I want on that day.  Sometimes people who know how healthy I eat regularly see me eating like this, and they're in shock. But, I work hard almost every single day of the year, so if I want to eat 2 rolls, too much stuffing, and a huge piece of pie, I'm not going to feel guilty about. Especially if I eat healthy every day around the holiday.

As you dive head first into this holiday season, remember to keep your health and fitness goals all the way up until the last day of December. Do your best to avoid becoming one of those people who decides to join the gym on January 1st, and then stops working out by mid February. Stay strong on every day around the holidays, and make sure your workouts are a number one priority so that when you do slip up, the added calories have very little effect on your waistline and energy levels. Nobody wants to feel like crap around the holidays, and overeating and being inactive is a surefire way to guarantee that you'll look and feel sluggish and gross. If you're looking for a way to stay strong in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, think about joining my November 30th Holiday Cleanse 2-Week Clean Eating Challenge Group. Being part of a group that also desires to eat healthy and stay active will help keep you motivated during the holiday season.  You can get more information about the Challenge Groups at www.MariasSuperFitTraining.com or by emailing me at maria@mariassuperfittraining.com. Good luck staying strong during this season of temptation, and stay focused on what really matters in your life which is your health and your loved ones.

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: The Final Week

I can understand now, why people do several rounds of the original 21-Day Fix. Once you head into week three, you really start to understand how the whole food and work out combination start to affect your body. I was feeling much stronger with all of my workouts, and I had gotten into a routine with my food. I will say that I will probably never go back to eating that much fish and asparagus, no matter what. As much as I like cod and haddock, I just cannot eat it three times a day for several days in a row. However, it is nice to know that by tightening up your diet so extremely, you can get unbelievable results.

I really noticed my physical gains the first day of week three with Plyo Fix Extreme. This was probably the hardest workout for me when I first started the program. It's an extreme amount of jumping and if your legs aren't very toned, it can be very difficult. Getting through this workout made it really evident of the gains that I had made over the last two weeks. I had decided at the end of week 2 that I was going to extremely tighten up my diet until the end of week 3. However, as the week went on I realized that I needed a day where I could eat more carbs and add some fruit. It is as though you can feel your body screaming for extra carbohydrates. And when I did eat them, I certainly noticed the difference in my energy levels, and my workouts. There is definitely a reason why you need to insert a couple days out of the week with an increased sugar intake and increase carbohydrate intake.

I will say, that week three is the week that you will notice your most gains. Even though I didn't drop any weight, according to my scale, I definitely saw some real muscle tone poking through the little bit of fat I had left on my body. I wasn't sure what my total gains were going to be at this point, and I also wasn't sure how my pictures were going to turn out.  I was positive though, that I was going to see some serious gains because of how my body felt. I was stronger and I knew it.

Food at this point really did not vary at all after two weeks of eating the same things. There was no need to feel like I need to reinvent the wheel in week three. It was more important for me to stay on track and make sure that I made it through this entire week on schedule, and with my food exactly as it had been over the last two weeks. In reference to doing more than one round, it was at the beginning of this week that I realized I knew I was going to end up doing this program for another 21 days. Although I was getting a chemical peel, which does not allow me to work out for 48 hours, I would take one full day off and make sure that I got back on track as soon as I possibly could.

These workouts have been more efficient, and I have seen more results in 21 days, than I had with some 3 month programs.  A huge amount that has to do with the fact that I tightened my diet up as much as I did. I do truly believe that each and every program has amazing results, but these workouts combined with this diet plan, certainly helps even the most overweight and out of shape person stay focused on their diet and nutrition in a far easier fashion then any other program with which I have worked . Energy levels have increased, muscle tone has increased, and my overall general attitude was extremely high. Typically in this time of year, with winter in New England it can be difficult to be motivated, but knowing this program is only 21 days made it a lot easier to commit to every day when I woke up. The more loss and gains that you see, the more motivated you are to complete the 21 days. It really wasn't until the end of the week when I took my after pictures that I was completely blown away by the gains that I had made in the short amount of time. Anyone who actually does this, take their pictures, and  track all their food, will realize how amazing this program is. It will motivate you to do 2, 3, or four rounds just to see how far you can go.

That being said, I did miss dinners out with my boyfriend, and making lasagna, but the results that I had always been looking for were right around the corner, and these are easy sacrifices to make for what I wanted. I think it's important to stress that here. It is about what our goal is, and what we are trying to achieve. We are willing to sacrifice so much for so many other things in our life, but when it comes to our own health and fitness we so often push it aside. If you want to get in the best shape of your life it takes focus, commitment, time, and the mindset of knowing that you're going to complete this, and go as far as you can until you get as far as you can. It is certainly not a lifestyle you can live on forever, eating fish and very little carbs, however it will get you as close to this goal of definition and muscular build as you can possibly get. Especially if you dedicate yourself 100% to the program

I am excited here to share with you the results that I have gotten from this 21-Day Fix Extreme program over just 21 days. My chest was smaller, my arms were more toned, my abs defined, and my butt lifted at least 2 inches, and my thighs had lost almost an inch on both sides.

My beginning measurements were as follows:

Chest: 36.5"
Waist: 32"
Hips: 39"
Arms: 11.5"
Thighs: 22.75"

Weight: 148.4 lbs.
Body Fat: 29.1%
Muscle Mass: 30.8%

My final measurements are 21-days are as follows:

Chest: 35"
Waist: 30.5"
Hips: 36.5"
Arms: 11"
Thighs: 22"

Weight: 143 lbs.
Body Fat: 26.5%
Muscle Mass: 32%

My dream has always been to get in the 130's with my weight, but I'm realizing that this may not be a realistic goal with my build and body.  That being said, I couldn't be more thrilled with the results that I have gotten.  Most important, this program has retrained my mind on how much time you need to dedicate to your workouts (not as much as I had been previously), and how prepared you need to be when it comes to nutrition.  After two weeks, I didn't really need to think as much about what to prep and cook, and I wasn't missing the way that I felt after eating crap.  That's not to say that I didn't immediately have a cheat day when I finished the program, but I certainly felt like crap after I ate everything I wanted to.

I hope that this inspires you to make the necessary changes in your life.  Whether it's with a Beachbody program, a personal trainer, or a nutritionist, if you want big changes in  the way you look and feel, then you need to make big changes in your life.  I have continued to eat on my Competition Meal Plan for the most part, and still work out daily.  This is something that can never change if I want to keep improving my strength and losing any excess fat.

I'll leave you with this picture, taken from four years ago when I started P90X, but before I quit drinking.  You can change your life, you just need to decide to do it!

If you're interested in trying any of our Beachbody workouts, or need advice on nutrition and exercise, please contact me at:
www.beachbodycoach.com/mlbarclay 
or
mariassuperfittraining@gmail.com

DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED.

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Days 12, 13 & 14

DAY 12: CARDIO FIX EXTREME

It was so nice to be home, in my own space, with all my healthy food!  Today was an Extreme Eating Plan day as well, so my extra carbs and fruits were available, so what a nice way to celebrate getting back into my routine.  My laundry was daunting, my closet was overrun with clean and dirty clothes (which says a lot because my closet is the size of a room), and the house needed to be cleaned.  These are the every day happenings of life.  I chose to ignore them on this day.  I wanted to get back into my flow with my food and exercise, and at the time this seemed important.

My favorite meals so far on my EEP days are definitely the Cashew n' Oat Cakes and the Turkey Meatballs, as well as the Turkey Chili.  I've never made meatballs with oatmeal before, and was somewhat hesitant on how they would turn out, but Chad and I both agreed that they weren't bad at all; as a matter of fact, at the risk of being excommunicated by my Italian father, they were actually pretty good!

 I am a huge fan of oatmeal and egg white pancakes in almost every variety, so this is nothing new to me, but they certainly are a delight on my higher carb and fruit days! In place of making several pancakes, I have been cutting the recipe in half, and sometimes making a little crepe out of the batter, rather than eating two little pancakes.  I like the variety that it creates in my diet.

Likewise, the Turkey Chili was fantastic as well!  I already have a clean eating version of turkey chili, so I swapped out the green bell pepper in the recipe for a mix of jalapeno peppers and celery, and used both black beans and kidney beans.

My recipe usually calls for chicken stock and tomato sauce, so it was on a hope and a prayer that adding just a can of organic diced tomatoes was going to create the consistency that I wanted.  Great news: it was awesome.  I froze some for one of my next EEP days, and sent Chad off to work with some.


I absolutely dread this workout, Cardio Fix Extreme, every single time that I do it.  I dread it for two reasons: 1) I don't like cardio, period.  I do it, and I push as hard as I can, but I'd rather push weight and do push-ups and pull-ups all day over cardio. 2) Doing this workout after Lower Fix Extreme is just excruciating.  There is no rest for your legs between the two days, and it's absolutely brutal on your butt, quads, and hamstrings.  I very rarely pause in my workouts, but when I do, it's on Cardio Fix Extreme Day!

DAY 13: DIRTY 30 EXTREME



I'll say it again, I freaking love this workout.  If this doesn't quickly become one of your favorites, I won't understand you at all!  You work it all, nose to toes, and you feel the burn.  Try this Half Moon Curtsy Lunge and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.  Every part of your legs, and your back, shoulders and arms to boot.  I'd say that if you had to do one workout that would hit it all, this would be the one.  It would be very redundant, but it would hit everything you need to hit in 30 minutes.

I was on my Countdown to Competition Plan for food so back to fish and greens, with some lean meat.  I did add an egg to a piece of filet for a little treat and that was absolutely delicious.  It's something we do at the restaurant that I hadn't thought about doing at home, but I'm not sure that I'll ever go back!  It definitely helps on those days that I'm working nights at the bar, as it helps me fully see when I need to eat to get around those really busy hours of not being able to put food in my mouth.

My snacks always consist of sliced red peppers, and sliced cucumber.  Sometimes I add my allotted coconut oil to a dish I'm cooking, but usually I end up melting it in a shot glass and taking coconut oil shooters.  Either way, it gets it done! I had taken to using my to using my meal prep sheets to fill out and track everything I was eating, and at this point, I almost can't imagine living my regular life without it!  I mean, what the hell was I eating before?  I was just randomly shoving food in my mouth with no thought about my macro nutrients or the times of day that I was eating.  This was certainly a huge eye opener on how to stay accountable for what I eat.  

At this point my weight had dropped to 143.1 lbs., so I was no longer seeing significant losses on the scale, but the way my body was changing was motivation enough to keep pushing on through the food prep and workouts.  Again, it's crazy how quickly we can train and change our bodies and minds.  My Body Fat % decreased to 27.6% and my Muscle Mass increased to 31.5%.  AND, my body was TIGHT!!!

DAY 14: YOGA FIX EXTREME

This workout is definitely the MOST important workout in this entire series if you're hoping to have and muscle recovery.  Although I found the previous week very difficult because I was soooooo sore, this week was a lot easier, and far more enjoyable.  It's not the favorite of the yoga routines I've done with Beachbody products, but it's a great help with stretching out the legs, and helping with concentration and mind-body connection.  I love, love, love this day, and between this, and the awesome rub down my boyfriend gave me, I felt refreshed at the end of this day.  

The nutrition again was on a C2C day, so it stayed very similar to the previous day.  When I prep my food, I prep for a couple of days, so I ate my white flaky fish, and greens, and snacked on my cucumber and pepper.  It's certainly not exciting, but when you begin to see the results, at help to motivate you when you open that Tupperware container for the 7th time and see white fish and greens.  I want to touch upon one thing here, in regards to my weight loss, that I had never encountered before.  

I started my journey with Beachbody programs over three years ago, at over 200 lbs.  Despite having lost 60 lbs., I had never experience too much excess skin, and had never really seen lose skin on my body, as I always kept a little bit of that poofy fat under the top layer of my skin.  Well, now that I'm burning through that excess fat, and the fat that's been there all along, I'm seeing a little bit of excess skin.  Not so much that it makes me uncomfortable, or is noticeable when I'm standing or sitting, but enough for me to notice when I'm doing push-ups.  Certainly losing fat on my body, and toning as quickly as I have been plays a huge part in this, and I just trust that over time my skin will tighten back up, and you'll be able to see every single one of my abs!  

Remember, if you're interested in trying 21-Day Fix Extreme, or any other Beachbody program, you can contact me directly at www.beachbodycoach.com/mlbarclay.  I would love to coach you through a program and help you create your own fitness success story! 

DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED.

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Week 2

DAYS 8, 9, 10 & 11

DAY 8: PLYO FIX EXTREME

Leaving for vacation, was going to prove difficult when it came to my nutrition. I know how difficult it can be to eat out, even when I'm just trying to be somewhat healthy, never mind when I'm on a restricted diet. I would be lying if I said I wasn't at all worried about how the next three days in the Florida we're going to go. I had thought over and over again about what I was going to do from the time I got on my flight, until I landed in Florida. I also knew that I would be staying at a Disney resort, which meant there was going to be more indulgence, then there was healthy food.

My first step, was to make sure that I was all set from the time I left my house in the early morning until I landed down south. Most people worry about what they're going to wear, I was worried about what I was going to eat over the next five hours. The best thing that I could think of, was to pack food for when I boarded the plane. There was some debate over whether or not I would be able to carry food on the plane, but I figured I would try my best, pack a cooler and hope for the best. The worst that could happen is they would make me dump out my food, but at least I had tried. It turned out that I didn't have to worry about that, and so I still had my ground turkey, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and coconut oil. It was essential that I had that entire day planned so that I didn't have to worry about what I was going to eat until dinner. 

It proved a very successful, as I was able to eat every two hours up until we got into our hotel room. That is not to say that it wasn't difficult to decide what I was going to eat for dinner. As we had flown all day, I really didn't want to travel for food. That being the case we decided to dine at the Maya Grill in the resort.  Although I wasn't able to get the leanest cut of steak, I did manage to stay to proteins and steamed vegetables, even though the server looked at me like I was crazy. It was nice to know that the next two days wouldn't be quite as bad as I thought they'd be. I just knew that I was going to be very diligent about what I ordered and how I ordered it.

My attack for the started with two egg muffins, a planned Shakeology with avocado after that, and three protein servings of ground turkey and three servings of steamed sweet potatoes. I had also cut up two red peppers, and half of a cucumber, so that I would have a couple snacks in case we couldn't find healthy food right away. As we were attached to another couple, this made it a little more difficult to travel outside of the resort if they needed the car as well. That entire day was very successful, no matter how weird everyone around me seem to think it was that I was eating ground turkey and steam sweet potatoes on a plane, or by the pool.

My workout was less of a concern, because I knew that, no matter what, I would make it down to the hotel gym. Although some people have a difficult time working out on vacation, I find it very easy to get out of bed put on my sneakers and attack the gym. I planned on bringing my laptop down that evening and following my regular routine which was Plyo Fix Extreme. I got that done around 5:30 in the evening, which left plenty of time for us to relax and get ready for dinner. Although there was limited space in the gym, it didn't stop me from setting up my own spot and making sure that I give 150% to my work out that day. If you're traveling, you need to let go of the concern of other people around you, and what they think about your workouts. I went in there give it everything I had, and could barely walk up the stairs to my room. That being said much like my food, it's important to have a plan, know what you're going to do, and then follow through.

DAY 9: UPPER FIX EXTREME

Day 2 was a little more complicated because I didn't think that I could get egg whites from room service. We went down to the cafeteria and I found oatmeal, and added some almonds. Although I didn't really get protein in for breakfast, I knew I could make up with for it with lunch and dinner. I also brought enough Shakeology to make it through every day of the week, so I didn't have to worry about one of my proteins every day. I managed to have salads and add egg whites and also ended up out to dinner with the couple we traveled with having a filet, a sweet potato and steamed vegetables. Where I normally would not eat anything outside of broccoli and asparagus, I couldn't afford to be that picky and had settled myself with the fact that I was going to have to eat vegetables that I hadn't been eating up until then. That being said, I couldn't be disappointed by that fact. I had chosen to go on vacation knowing that I would be attached to a dietary restriction, and I was going to succeed no matter what. Day 2's workout was a little more difficult, as when I went to the gym it was fully packed especially with big guys who wanted to lift heavy weights. But like I said before, I wasn't going to let that stop me and I carved out my own space, and attacked my workout. It was a great feeling to know that I could be traveling, and still stay on track both with my nutrition and my workouts.

At this point, I also couldn't wait my weigh myself daily, so it made it a little difficult to know where I was making gains. I trusted in the fact that as long as I stayed on top of my diet and exercise, I wasn't going to have anything to worry about. This was very true as I had lost some weight when I returned home.

DAY 10: PILATES FIX EXTREME

Day 3 of vacation ended up turning out much better than I had anticipated. I had called down to room service and found out that I could get egg whites and oatmeal with water. I ordered two orders of egg whites, as I knew that I would want to take them home, if the portion sizes were decent. This was probably the best decision I could have meat for traveling home the next day. I started my day strong with protein and carbs, and had already picked up a salad to bring back to the room the night before. This made me feel very confident, as I knew I would be getting all of my greens and all of my proteins in for the day. Chad and I had already made reservations to have dinner at a seafood restaurant, so I knew I would be able to get some white flaky fish with some steamed vegetables. I was disappointed that it took me this long to feel this confident when having dietary restrictions on vacation, but I certainly learned a lot through the process.

I did Pilates Fix Extreme in my hotel room, as all I needed was a resistance band and a little bit of room.  The gym at the resort was small, and I didn't want to run into the same problem I had the day before.  I cleaned out the space in front of our sink vanity, threw a towel on the floor, and attacked my workout, no excuses.  I had been laying out in the sun all day, and we had turned the AC off in the room earlier that morning, so I sweated out every ounce of fluid I had by doing Pilates that afternoon.  That workout is always an ab and butt burner, and I loved every second of it!

DAY 11: LOWER FIX EXTREME

Our flight out of Florida was relatively early, so I knew I wouldn't get my workout in before we left.  I had learned so much over these few day about how to pack for flights, and how to be prepared to execute my workouts. I also now know what to order before I fly out at the end of the week, to make me prepared for my flight home. I knew it was going to be daunting to have a workout hanging over my head after we got home. Having to fly early in the morning, and then travel home, to get back to a work out was certainly hanging over my head. Despite any thoughts I had of not completing my work out that day, I mentally had told myself that I had committed to the these 21 days. I repetitively said to myself 21 days is not that long to work out every day. I had also told myself that I wanted it more than I didn't. I was not going to let a little travel get in the way of the goals that I had set over the last two weeks. I had made so many gains this far, and I wasn't about to lose them on one weak moment.

I saved my egg whites, in my oatmeal from the day before, and also made sure that I had some veggies to travel. Additionally, I had my Shakeology in case worse came to worse and I needed something quick in my system. Flying can be very hard when you're trying to make sure you eat every two hours. You are never guaranteed a nutritious meal in an airport, not that it can't be found, it just is difficult when looking at the food choices.

Once we returned home, I made sure that I took a little nap, and woke up feeling better and ready to attack my workout. It was difficult, and it certainly wasn't what I wanted to do at the time, but it I got it done and I pushed through. It's another example of how mentally preparing yourself for something will help you physically accomplish it. I wasn't going to let my week will win over my strong mind. 

PROGRESS:

I was going to take pictures while I was on vacation, but when I started to do it, I realized that I couldn't get the right angles and it certainly wasn't showing the same lighting that I had at home. For that reason I decided to wait and do my pictures when I got home. I was amazed by two things. One, that I was so pasty white before I went to Florida, and I had absolutely no idea. Secondly, I saw some serious progress over a 10 day period. I couldn't believe that I had seen so much tightening in my body in such a short amount of time. It is very motivating to know that our body is so resilient and bounces back so easily, and that by focusing on our diet and exercise, we are able to change our bodies in under two weeks. That is not to say that I am not attacking this thing with 150% of my energy and focus, but even decent changes to our diet will drastically affect how we look and feel. 

These are my Day 12 Photos:

When measuring myself, I also saw great numbers. My starting numbers were:

Chest: 36.5"

Waist: 32"

Hips: 39"

Thighs: 22.75"

Arms: 11.5"

My Day 12 numbers were:

Chest: 35.5"

Waist: 31"

Hips: 37"

Thighs: 22.25"

Arms: 11" 

This was amazing to me! An inch off my chest and waist, 2 inches off of my hips, and half an inch off of both my thighs and arms. These are huge, huge losses in 12 days. Especially considering that I was traveling for four days at the beginning of the week, and didn't have access to the food that I necessarily would have at home. I can't believe that I have seen this much loss on my body in less than two weeks. It has certainly taken some mental strength and dedication, but when you see results like this, it makes it all worth it.

If you are interested in trying 21 day fix extreme, or any beach body program, remember that you can order through me to receive a free DVD and online coaching at www.beachbodycoach.com/mlbarclay 

FOCUS.  COMMIT. SUCCEED. 

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Days 6 & 7

DAY 6: DIRTY 30 EXTREME

Now this is what I'm talking about!!! Compound moves, working different muscle groups at once...not that this doesn't happen every other day.  This workout is everything that I was hoping it would be and more.  Fast paced, 7 compound moves, and more lunges and squats to make sure your legs realize it's not a rest day yet!  It was nice to finally have a day that didn't involve jumping around, however it certainly doesn't give up on your butt and legs, nor should it.  You will feel every single part of your body after this workout, and if you don't, then you did something wrong.

I've used many of these compound moves in my personal training sessions, primarily because I love working with lighter weights, but total body movement.  Autumn guides you through each move at her quick pace, but the combination tightens and tones every single part of your body.  My favorite move from this workout was definitely the Half Moon Curtsy because you can feel the burn in your shoulders and all around your legs, and you're only holding a light weight.

My nutrition this day was on my Extreme Eating Plan which allowed for increased carbs and fruits, which was totally necessary given I was working the bar at night.  I ate some of my left over Oat n' Cashew Cakes, and also had some of my Egg Muffins.  I did end up having two servings of Shakeology on this day, as I'm not able to eat behind the bar.  Next time this happens though, I am going to start my morning with something other than my shake (say egg whites and oatmeal), so that I'm only drinking one shake a day.  There is always a relief on these Extreme Eating Plan days, as I'm not so focused on proteins, and I am able to have extra sugars and carbs in my diet.

At this time, my weight had decreased to 143.7 lbs, my Body Fat % had decreased to 28% and my muscle mass had increase to 31.3%.  All great numbers as far as I'm concerned, especially since I didn't feel like I had a lot of weight to lose, and I am really focused on my muscle gain.  It's very exciting to think that in 6 days, you can have these kind of results if you stay dedicated to your nutrition and exercise.

DAY 7: YOGA FIX EXTREME

I love yoga...love, love, love, love.  I feel that every workout routine, including my one-on-one's with clients should include a yoga day.  This workout moves quickly, but touches on everything from moving vinyasas, isometric holds, and balance postures.  Autumn touches on every part of yoga that you possibly could do with only thirty minutes.  I also have to say, that for once, I felt a little further along than her.  Although I couldn't do the really advanced postures, I was stronger throughout, more balanced, and felt more confident than she did.  I'm not sure if she typically teaches yoga, but it was nice to not feel like I was falling short on every aspect of my fitness routines.

I knew that I was going to be using my legs and butt, obviously, so I was prepared to feel an extreme burn again.  However, the amount of stretching and holding that she has you do, really does help the recovery of your lower body muscles.  This isn't to say that I didn't feel any burn, but it was a bearable burn that was also stretching and strengthening my muscle groups.  This workout is entirely warranted after the week of slaughter on your body, and IT IS NOT THE WORKOUT TO SKIP!!!  This seems very important to state, as this is the only day that you're really going to feel some recovery if you've been staying on schedule and attacking your workouts.

My favorite move from this workout is definitely Wheel, mostly because when I started Yoga three years ago, I never thought I'd be able to do it, especially with a leg lift.  Although Autumn doesn't do the leg lift that I show here in the video, I did add it into my workout to make the move a little more difficult.  If it's too difficult for you, then just keep both of your feet on the ground!

Nutritionally, I had to focus on what I'd be eating all day, and eat at certain times as I was working behind the bar again.  This meant stacking proteins at the beginning of my day because I wouldn't be able to eat behind the bar past 4 o'clock.  I planned accordingly, ate eggs, egg muffins, haddock, veggies, and all my fats, outside of the 1/4 avocado I put in my Shakeology for 'dinner'.  

I also took this day to prep for my travel on Monday.  I was leaving for Florida the next day, and having quite a panic attack on what I was going to eat while I was traveling, as I was also going to be dependent upon what was offered at the resort.  I'll fill you in on how I did with this on the following days blogs.  At the end of the first week (7 days), my Weight had dropped from 148.4 lbs. to 143.5, my Body Fat had dropped from 29.1% to 27.8%, and my Muscle Mass had increased from 30.8% to 31.4%.  All of these numbers are so huge to me, as they are indications of all the hard work and focus.  If they had only moved a little, I would have still been happy, but seeing this much progress w

as totally motivational.  As I was working this whole weekend, and traveled the following days, I wasn't able to do progress photos, but will provide some from week 2 for sure!

Remember, if you want to try ANY Beachbody program, including this 21-Day Fix Extreme, you can order it through me right HERE!  For ordering through me you will also receive an additional FREE DVD,  Don't miss out!

21-Day Fix Extreme: Days 4 & 5

DAY 4: LOWER FIX EXTREME

OK, so when day 4 rolled around, there's absolutely no way I could have anticipated how much my legs and butt were going to hurt.  As a trainer, I have gotten pretty used to the fact that my body is going to hurt almost all of the time, however this was a whole new type of burn.  Although you do have an upper body day, it's hardly enough to feel like you've recovered once you get though Pilates Extreme, and then you wake up to Lower Fix Extreme on Day 4.  In my head, I had convinced myself that Day 4 was going to be a combination of lower body moves, all slow and controlled, with no jumping.  If this is also your wish, throw it right out the window!

Autumn takes this opportunity to give you almost all lower body movements with weight, and each exercise is 1 full minute, 30 seconds with your feet grounded, 30 seconds with plyometric jumping.  So when you wake up on day 4 thinking, "I might be able to walk normal after this workout", please reconsider what you'll actually feel like.  Plyometric jumping, which utilizes different muscle groups and fibers than grounded leg work, is on Day 1, but you'll see it again here.  What also makes this a real leg burner, is the 1-minute exercises.  Anyone who's done jumping for 30-seconds will tell you that their butt is on fire, so add weighted stationary squats followed directly by squat jumps, and you're probably going to be reaching for the grandma bar in the ladies room every time you try to pee.

My favorite butt-burning move of the day was definitely the Lat Band Step!  With all the squats, lundges, and jumps I've done before, I'm not sure my side-butt (as my client Whitney likes to refer to it) has ever been burning more.  As this is one of the last moves in the routine, I'm not sure if it's just the combination of all the slaughtering that makes this feel fantastic, or just that it's an awesome move, but it'll definitely tighten and tone your butt and thighs!

Day 4 nutrition brought me back to Countdown to Competition Meal Plan with my proteins, veggies, healthy fats, and limited carbs .  In an effort to expand my white flaky fish intake, I attempted Tilapia...it will NEVER happen again.  Something about the taste and texture made me squirmish every single time I took a bite.  It was terrible...TERRIBLE!  Now this is obviously preference, so I'm not saying avoid this fish, but remember that when you're trying out a new nutritional plan, this may also happen to you.  You are going to come across foods that you haven't eaten before, that you hope you really like, and then find out that they make your stomach turn with one bite.  I ate it for two days, but only because I HATE to waste food.

There's also very little that's exciting and new to tell you about in regards to food and recipes, because once you really focus on this C2C Meal Plan, you're really eating the same things almost all the time.  If you're someone who needs a variety of choices, and can't eat the same thing all of the time, then I would suggest you choose the less rigid Extreme Eating Plan, as you'll have far more proteins, veggies, fruits, and carbs to choose from.  For myself, my focus is on changing my body as quickly as possible, with the best results as possible, even if that means throwing food in a blender and drinking it, (I joke, but I've also considered it throughout the week.) I'm also getting used to this whole drinking Coconut Oil thing.  Although they allow you to intake the oil through cooking, Autumn typically melts hers and drinks it.  So, as I wanted to stick as closely as possible to her nutritional plan, I have been doing the same.  It used to be tequila in a shot glass, and now I find myself in front of my microwave waiting to take Coconut Oil shooters.  Ahhh, how life changes.  The taste and texture don't bother me at all, but it's certainly something to become accustomed to!

When I woke up on Day 4, my then current weight was 145.7 lbs. compared to my starting weight of 148.4 lbs. The previous 2 days, however, I had weighed myself in the afternoon after drinking and eating, which really isn't a good idea when you want to trend something with numbers.  For that reason I started making sure I always weigh myself first thing in the morning with no clothes on.  I want to see the numbers based on weighing myself at the same time every day.  Even still, this is the lightest weight I have been since I was probably 12 or 13 years old.  I felt accomplished and happy, and it was a great motivator to stay focused on my nutrition, even if I could barely walk up and down the stairs!

It's also important to mention, as I am someone who truly believes that weight alone is not enough to track our successes in our fitness journey, that my Body Fat % had decreased from 29.1% to 28.5% and my Muscle Mass had increase from 30.8% to 31.1%!  These are the number that matter most to me.  I could care less if I ever get into the 130's, but I would love to be 18% Body Fat.  Weight is a number, Body Fat and Muscle Mass determine how your body looks.  Always remember that when you're tracking your weight loss journey!

DAY 5: CARDIO FIX EXTREME

Oh Autumn...up until now I really liked this lady.  She reminds me a lot of one of my best girlfriends Tanya, so every time I workout I smirk at some of her mannerisms and facial expressions because it makes me think of one of my besties.  Today, however, I swore at my TV around a dozen times, and had some seriously negative thoughts about the reality of this whole thing.  I'm not sure if it was the carb depletion, or that my legs just haven't had a day to recover, but this woman is just NON-STOP jumping!!!  I'm all about lower-body work, and cardiovascular work, but why-oh-why am I always f**king jumping around???  This day was the day that made me realize that this workout routine, if you're someone who pushes until you feel like you're going to collapse, is absolutely no joke, and not for the feint of heart.  Mentally, you must be fully prepared to break through that voice that says I can't, and learn to modify when your body won't let you.  I push, and I push REALLY hard...and this day was a real mental challenge.  That being said, I did it, I finished it, and I also have been walking funny since.   I'm not trying to discourage anyone, but I want to be a realist.  If you saw the infomercial for this product, and you've never worked out before, the chances that you will succeed are slim. This takes some real mental and physical toughness.  If you've never completed a program before, this absolutely is not where you want to start!

All that hate talk aside, that's not to say that I didn't find the workout rewarding, and didn't have a favorite move.  I love Weighted Skaters, as they work every muscle group, force rotation in the abdominals, and also work your butt.

As I was still on the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, my food varied very little. Protein and green veggies, coconut oil, and one carb. I don't think it's necessary to tell you what I ate every day, but just to address that being this tight on my diet has certainly effected my energy levels on days that I train, or work behind the bar because I just don't have the energy sources that my body is used to. However, it is almost like I can feel my body burning fat, so I suppose it's working regardless. That being said, I will touch upon trying to eat 8 times a day. For the first few C2C days I was trying to eat a protein at every “meal”, quickly finding that it was near impossible to fit all the proteins into one day. Don't ask me why I didn't double up on my lunches or dinners, but for whatever reason it didn't occur to me until around this day. If you find yourself attacking the C2C Meal Plan while doing 21-Day Fix Extreme, take this into consideration. Eat two red containers for lunch and/or for dinner, depending on what your caloric intake is supposed to be, and what time you finish your last meal.

This morning I also saw a weight loss going from my previous 145.7 lbs. to 145.3 lbs., which is certainly something.  To have continued weight loss over every day is amazing.  Some days the loss is bigger than others, but even if I lost .4 lbs. every day, I'd have lost almost 10 lbs. overall with the program in 21-days.  That's just awesome weight math! I also saw a decrease in Body Fat % from 28.5% to 28.3%, and an increased Muscle Mass from 31.1% to 31.2%.  Although these seem like very small changes, you have to realize that they are HUGE in terms of one-day losses and gains!

Remember, if you want to try ANY Beachbody program, including this 21-Day Fix Extreme, you can order it through me right HERE!  For ordering through me you will also receive an additional FREE DVD,  Don't miss out!

21-Day Fix Extreme: Days 2 and 3

DAY 2

I can honestly say that day two of 21-Day Fix Extreme was extremely hard on me nutritionally.  I'm here to be honest, and that is what I'm going to be.  Although I am a relatively clean eater, the elimination of fruit, dairy, and most carbohydrates on the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, sent me into a bit of sugar withdrawal.  Fruit is one of my main substitutes for processed sugars, obviously, so having none at all was a bit of a shock to the system by day 2.  Also, getting only one serving of carbs on those days creates a complete depletion of insulin spikes, so my body was burning red hot from the workouts, and really just burning off of the fats on my body.  This is the idea, clearly, but when you're going through it, it just doesn't feel so pleasant. Protein and veggies, protein and veggies...that's about it.

OK, now that I'm done whining, the things that I have learned thus far.  Planning, planning, planning.  When my body was burning like a furnace, I really only had about a two hour window before I was starving again.  So, if I didn't have food prepped already, it was an additional 15-20 minutes that I had to wait to eat, and that just made me hangry.  Fish, eggs whites, turkey, and lean red meat.  Buy it, prep it, and cook a ton of it.  Have it sitting in the fridge for when your stomach starts to speak.  Otherwise, you'll find yourself standing with your refrigerator doors open, hating that you ever made the decision to start down this path.  Same thing for veggies; broccoli, asparagus, peppers, cucumbers, green beans. Buy them, clean them, steam them, portion them.  It's survival in order to make it through the C2C Meal Plan days.  I also tend bar on Tuesday nights, and hadn't accounted for the extra calories that I would burn from running around the bar area, so I learned my lesson there.  Bring more food, eat more often.  Overall though, I loved the Upper Fix Extreme workout, as I LOVE to push weight, and the 10 min. Hardcore video that you can add on is quickly becoming one of my favorite add-ons to the program.

DAY 3

Ahhh, 2 extra carbs, and 3 servings of fruit?!?  I didn't know I could be so excited about this, but it was seriously like a mini celebration when I woke up.  My favorite Chocolate Shakeology recipe has Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, banana, and peanut butter, and I can't have that on my C2C meal plan days, so when I woke up at 5:30 am (yeah, I couldn't freaking sleep, and my stomach was GROWLING), and knew I could have my favorite breakfast. there was a sigh of relief.  It's the small things people...otherwise, you'll end up shoving a donut in your face.  This was a bit of a relief in my day, knowing that I wouldn't be feeling like I was having a totally restrictive food day.  

Poached eggs over steamed asparagus, Cashew n' Oats Pancakes, Turkey Meatloaf with sweet potato and steamed broccoli; all this made my day a little bit better.  Even my boyfriend was surprised by how good the meatloaf was, and it will most certainly make it only my food blog.  

When it came to approaching Pilates Fix Extreme, I went at that workout with the wrong mindset.  I have done Pilates in workout programs before, and thought, "I totally have this, NBD!"  Yeah, add a resistance band to anything, and it'll make you realize you were barely doing any work before.  Autumn Calabrese brings Pilates to a whole different level, so if you think your arms and legs are safe, they are not!  I don't think I've ever been so exhausted from floor work in my entire fitness career.  My favorite move of the day, had to be the Circle Teaser.  The abdominal work, and the leg work are insane, and the burn is AWESOME!

It never ceases to amaze me how a new move in your routine can change how you look at the previous work that you have done.  I've done this move plenty of times before without resistance bands, but add that little bit of resistance, and you entirely change what muscle groups that you engage.  Give it a try, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.  

STATS

So on day three, what had changed?  Well, I had gone from 148.4 lbs. on Day 1 to 146.6 lbs. on Day 3.  That's almost 2 lbs. in three days.  This is a huge loss, as most people would find difficulty in losing a pound a day, and it certainly can't be maintained for a lengthy period of time.  But, this is the point of 21-Day Fix Extreme and the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan.  Extreme results in less than 30 days, as long as you stay committed to your nutrition and exercise; it's not impossible, it's just hard.  As they say, it's supposed to be hard, if it wasn't everyone one would do it.  My Day 3 photos:

I am excited to see this change over 21 days.  This is the first time that I have taken photos this often, as most programs have you do it once a month, as you progress through different stages of the program. If you folks have any questions or comments, throw them my way.  I would love to hear suggestions and concerns that other people have also faced.  So far, I FREAKING LOVE THIS PROGRAM!!! 

Remember, if you want to try ANY Beachbody program, including this 21-Day Fix Extreme, you can order it through me right HERE!  For ordering through me you will also receive an additional FREE DVD,  Don't miss out!

DECIDE. COMMIT. SUCCEED.

Maria

21-Day Fix Extreme: Prep Day for Success

Starting a new program or nutrition plan can be very overwhelming, especially when you're starting from scratch.  The last nutritional plan that I followed to a "T" was when I did P90X, 3 years ago.  After that, I had cleaned up my diet enough that when I was working out regularly, I didn't really need to be particular about my food, as long as I didn't eat a ton of garbage.  Overall, I am a very clean eater, so it's rare that I track my food religiously, or weigh myself daily.

The problem was, of course, that I was never getting the results that I could have gotten if I had stayed really focused on what I was putting in my mouth.  For that reason, I decided to try Beachbody's newest program, 21-Day Fix Extreme.  I have had several customers who had great results with the first program 21-Day Fix, and I was especially interested in the Extreme program because it offered a 'Countdown to Competition' Meal Plan.  I had often researched what body builders ate to prep for competition, but there is so much information on the web, and I wasn't quite sure where to start.  This program offered me the opportunity to start fresh, focus on my macro nutrients, and launch me into new workouts.  As I am religiously a P90X, X2, and X3 program participant, it was nice to think about trying a new program, and trainer, all the way through.  AND, it's only 21 days...how hard could it be???

Well, preparation for any life change is where you need to start.  I tell every client and customer that they need to first go through all the information that is provided.  Read the 'Start Here' Guide that explains the workouts, and what you need to execute them.  Then there's learning how to correctly utilize the portion control containers that come with the program.

STEP 1:

The first step I needed to take was figuring out how many calories I was going to need to consume to fuel my body for my daily activities, including my workouts, but also make sure there was a caloric deficit that would allow me to lose weight and tone my body.  Luckily, they provide this formula for you in the 'Eating Plan' so it was easy for me to see that I fell between the 1,500-1,799 calories per day.  This directly led me to how many of each containers (proteins, veggies, fruits, healthy fats, seeds and dressings, and oil and nut butters) that I would need to eat each day. 

STEP 2:

Knowing that I wanted to try the Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, I then referenced the packet for that to see how my nutrition was going to change.  For two days I would be on a "carb depletion" or Countdown to Competition Meal Plan, and the following day would be a regular Extreme Eating Plan.  In order to track the difference in my foods those days, I printed out the Team Beachbody provided 21-Day Fix Extreme Countdown to Competition Tally Sheet.  

As you can see, on my Countdown to Competition (C2C) Meal Plan, I have the same amount of veggies as my Extreme days, but I have 0 fruits, 3 more proteins, only 1 carb, no healthy fats, no seeds or dressings, and 3 tsp. of oil and nut butters (or a substitution of avocado for one of my tsp. of coconut oil).  Because I wanted to follow Autum's C2C plan to a "T" this drastically decreased the choices I had for these categories, (as she only eats certain things on her plan, and eliminates dairy all together), so my third step was to make a concise list of everything that I could eat, which would help me build my meal plan.  

STEP 3:

This meal plan has me eating 7-8 times a day, which is a challenge, and eating a lot of protein on my carb depletion days, which can be difficult when you're limited in your protein choices, and eliminate dairy all together.  However, I am a creature of habit, so as long as I know what I was eating when, I can eat the same thing almost all of the time.  

STEP 4:

With that in mind I set up my own meal plan.  As helpful as the Tally Sheet is, it doesn't allow for room to write out your meals for the day, so I created my own meal plan sheet. 

For me, once I have a basic meal plan like this, it's easier for me to visually substitute my proteins and veggies by just looking at the previous list.  If on my next two C2C days I don't want fish, I just reference my allowed foods and substitute a different protein.  Likewise for every other food group.  Then, when setting up my 'Extreme' eating days, where I am allowed more fruits, fats and seeds, I can still stay within the same guidelines, but add in my extra carbs and sugars with the foods that I want.  If you're not setting up your meal plans some way, you're going to have a harder time staying on track with what you're eating when.  Being prepared keeps you focused and on track, so just do the work up front, so you don't find yourself standing in front of your fridge in full rage not knowing what you're going to eat.  

STEP 5:

I cannot express the importance of taking your 'Before' pictures, and tracking your weight and measurements.  With this program, I wanted to track day-to-day for 21-days exactly how my body changes.  I want to show people just the results you can get when you're focused for only 3 weeks.  I am going to track my weight and pictures daily, do my beginning measurements, and then again once a week to track my progress.  If you think you need more than 3 weeks to have extreme results, I am going to prove you wrong.  If you are on track with your nutrition and exercise, you'll be shocked at the results you can have in such a short period of time.  

My Measurements:

Chest - 36.5"

Arms - 11.5"

Waist - 32"

Hips - 39"

Thighs - 22.75"

Weigh-In:

Weight - 148.4 lbs.

Body Fat % - 29.1%

Muscle Mass - 30.8%

Water - 50.5%

*I use a Weight Guru Scale that calculates everything.  You can find apps and equations online to do the same.  Although it's not always 100% accurate, if you use the same equation over time, it will track your gains and losses just the same.

Day 1:

*Outside of cropping my pictures, I did not use any filters or alter the pictures at all.  I want to stay true to how much body looks, as is, not as I want it to be.  That's the whole reason I'm starting this process to begin with.

So, these are my starting points.  I'm actually surprised that my Body Fat is so high, but I'm excited to see the change over time, and I take into consideration that my scales calculations are based on an electrical pulse that goes up and through my body, and often times where you hold your fat will have an influence on this.

No matter where we start, we must remember that starting is the most important part.  It's not to be discouraged by what we see, but rather to be excited about where we will be at the end.  21 days of laser-focused nutrition, and 21 days of solid workouts.  We will see just how far I can go, and what results I can get in 21 days.  

Remember, if you want to try ANY Beachbody program, including this 21-Day Fix Extreme, you can order it through me right HERE!  For ordering through me you will also receive an additional FREE DVD,  Don't miss out!

Work Hard.  Eat Right.  Stay Focused.

Maria

STRETCHING IS BORING...

Whenever I discuss flexibility with clients who have a limited range of motion in any muscle or muscle group, my first suggestion is always to increase the amount of time they spend stretching.  As a trainer, I'm always going to include a warm-up and cool-down period before and after a session, but that does very little to increase a client's overall flexibility long-term, especially if they are not taking time on their own to focus on problem areas.

That being said, I couldn't agree more with the response I often receive from clients when I suggest more stretching: "It's boring, and I don't feel like it's 'working out.'" Well, it is boring, and it's not working out.  However, your body will never reach it's full potential if you're not properly stretching, and not actively working on increasing your flexibility.  There are probably thousands of sites, listing thousands of stretches that you should do every day.  The list goes on and on, and as you sit in front of your computer for 30 minutes deciding what you should be doing, you'll become overwhelmed, and probably never even attempt a single stretch.  Here, I'm going to give the simplest ways to include extra stretching in your workout routine, that won't bore you to death.

1. IF YOU DON'T DO YOGA, YOU SHOULD! AND IF YOU THINK YOGA IS STUPID, YOU'RE STUPID!

The practice of yoga is thousands of centuries old.  Thousands!  Yoga is different in that it requires the body to work in synergy, while stretching and strengthening several different muscle groups at one time.  As my best friend Jackie would state during our yoga sessions, "You're vinyasa is nothing more than a push-up in disguise!" This is true, but it's also so much more.  I'm not going to go into a diatribe of all the benefits of the practice (muscle recovery, mind-body connection, decrease of injury, increased endurance, blah, blah, blah), but if you're interested in a quick read, you can find it here. The point is, if you work out regularly, if you strength train, if you run marathons, than you should also be doing yoga.  If you're not, your workout routine is incomplete, and you are selling yourself short of ever achieving the results you are hoping for from your routines. More than anything else, this will increase your flexibility and strength all at the same time. And as anyone who has ever gone to a slamming yoga class will tell you, whether Bikram, Baptiste, Hatha, or other, when done right, it's anything but boring.

2. FOAM ROLL UNTIL TEARS COME ROLLING DOWN YOUR FACE.

What is a foam roller? If I'm to answer honestly, I'm convinced it is a tool designed by Satan, and handed over to Physical Therapists and Personal Trainers alike as a reminder that even the most flexible people can use some more stretching.  This is a foam roller:

I know, it looks so innocent.  They come in all shapes and sizes, some with bumps, and some without (insert dirty joke here).  A foam roller essentially does what an $80 an hour masseuse does, but better and more painful.  The basics you need to know is that you have tiny little muscle fibers that connect your ligaments to your muscles, and muscles to your bones. This object puts intense pressure on those tiny muscle fibers and ligaments, and releases tensions and stress; this is known as myofascial release.  I am not going to go into intense depth and technical verbiage here, but if you want to read a nice succinct article about how it works, and the overall benefits, you can find that here. When you have particularly tight muscle groups, you will find that foam rolling can be painful...like, tears rolling down your face painful.  However, the benefits are insanely high, and done regularly, you'll notice a substantial increase in your overall flexibility and strength.  The foam roller may not entirely replace the message therapist, but I can tell you as someone who has had multiple messages, that no masseuse has ever achieved the muscle release that I experience with foam rolling except one, and she was a sports athletic message therapist who used to work with the Red Sox.   You can find foam rollers relatively cheap on Amazon, so don't let price be the thing that stops you from adding this to your warm-ups and cool-downs.  

3. STOP PRETENDING LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO STRETCH ON YOUR OWN.

The reality is, even if you find that perfect website, with every stretch, and how it's beneficial, you still have to execute the stretches to gain the benefits.  If you know you are someone who won't do the stretches on your own, then enlist professionals.  Every Beachbody program includes either a stretching DVD or a Pilates/Yoga DVD.  Why?  Because fitness professionals know that in order to have a complete fitness program, you have to stretch.  So, whether you purchase a program, pick up a DVD at Walmart, or use ON DEMAND from your cable, there are so many options now to help you stay focused and engaged with your stretching.  Just like any other workout, if you are not actively involved in the 'work' than you are not receiving the full benefits.  Sometimes, just doing the movement at the same speed as a video, and with other people, will help you really focus in on the work that you need to be doing, as well as decrease the likelihood that you'll get bored and quit half way through.  

So the question becomes, are you going to feel as accomplished after a stretching session as you do after a hardcore strength or cardio session?  Most of the time, the answer is no.  It's still going to feel tedious and slow, but the increases you will see not only in your flexibility, but also in your speed, power, and strength by simply investing one day to the practice, should  be what motivates you through those tough stretching days.  Start adding one of these approaches once a week, and within one month you'll see results you didn't know you could achieve.  Stretching is boring, yes, but so isn't the plateau that you will reach if you decide not to regularly incorporate it in your fitness routine.

BE STRONG. WORK HARD. EAT CLEAN. 

Maria