Love Yourself More

So many people have resolutions each year and so many let them go after February. Instead of the common resolutions of losing weight, getting organized, paying down debt, saving money, taking a trip, why not devote your year to loving on YOU!!

All of those things will fall into place when you start taking time for you and loving yourself.<3

Smile more
Laugh more
Eat cleaner
Invest in yourself
Think positive
Exercise for you!
You Are Worth It!

Taking care and loving yourself is the best thing one can do. It changes your whole perspective, makes you feel better and makes you happier!



<3

Loving Every Moment

My whole year has been a long weekend in my eyes. I have gone from one extreme to the next.

2 years ago I was working in a job that I thought I had to. Because growing up I was taught that I go to school I get a degree and I find a career. I worked that career for 10 years. I missed my girls, I only got to see about an hour of their lives each day. When they started school I had to take a vacation day just to see them off on their first day. I missed class trips. If I was ever called because one was sick it took minimum 2 hours to get home to them.

Fast forward 2 years I have now spent 2 summers with them!! We can now get up and go whenever we please. Yes I work a lot BUT the ability to do all of this from home on my time has truly changed our lives! So to me these late nights and early mornings are worth every minute I get to spend with these girls!!!

So if you have a dream that you're chasing I truly hope that you never give up on it because one day all of that hard work, dedication and patience will truly pay off!!

If you're anything like me and are curious about what it is that I do, our team of life changers will be hosting an inside look! Don't miss your chance to hear from some of our top team members and how this opportunity has changed their lives as well as mine :)

Shoot me an Email to learn more!

Fears, Failure, Success, Inspiration

With the new Harry Potter book just being released I wanted to share a little about this amazing lady!

Have you ever looked up her story? Did you see where she came from? How many times she was actually rejected with her first Harry Potter book?

J.K. Rowling is one of MANY stories that you may have thought became an overnight success. The truth is though she struggled and she was rejected by many publishers.

To keep an amazing long story short, she was a single mom, jobless, living living off unemployment. By her own definition she had failed on an epic scale.

Realising that even through all of her fears of failure she was still alive, she was able to direct everything into her writing. She was REJECTED by 12 publishers. Obviously she didn't stop and one publisher, in fact the publishers 8 year old daughter read the manuscript and loved it and because of that, the publisher agreed to publish the first of the Harry Potter books.

And you all know now how far she has gone :)

Yes we all have fears. We are all scared to try and fail at something. We have all failed at times. Do you just give up? OR do you keep trying? Yes you could potentially fail again but that doesn't mean you need to stop believing you will succeed. The only failure I believe is quitting. So no matter what you are passionate about, be it writing, riding, photography, graphic design, baseball, fitness, acting, etc. Whatever it may be, learn something from each failure and try again. Don't wonder "what if". You don't want to end up wondering "what if".

Do not give up on yourself! I believe in YOU xox

What Is Country Heat?

Are you ready to kick up some dust?
Even if you have 2 left feet this program is so much fun! You will not even feel like you are exercising but you WILL work up a sweat!!

If you are looking for something to spice up your fitness routine or you want to get started this could be the program for you!

At first, yes even me the HUGE country fan was little sceptical of this program, I was wondering how in the world would a country dance program will help you lose weight?! BUT after trying it out for the 3 sneak peeks I AM HOOKED! It reminds me of going out and dancing all night, the laughter, the music and most of all the sweat that you work up totally tells me that this is going to be a game changer! I am so excited to get this in my hands and on my TV!

If you want to dance your way to fit with me, we will be starting our very first Country Heat group on August 1st! We will be dancing to top hits, eating on point, and checking in on each other every day! We will go through this together from start to finish.  The people in the test groups have had INCREDIBLE results! One has even lost 60 pounds in 90 days! What!!

What is Country Heat?

It is a high-energy, low-impact dance workout that’s so simple and so fun, you’ll love it from the very first step. Anyone can do this!  Each routine is only 27-30 minutes that features the hottest country music! There’s NO CHOREOGRAPHY to remember, just follow along and before you know it, you’re scorching calories, burning fat, and melting away the pounds as you reshape your entire body!

Autumn Calabrese is a celebrity fitness trainer, professionally trained dancer, nationally ranked bikini competitor, and working mom. She is the creator of amazing programs such as 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Co-Creator of Hammer & Chisel, author of the Fixate cookbook and now Country Heat! She has certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Autumn is extremely talented and WILL get you results!

What Makes Country Heat Effective?

The program is FUN! It makes it easier to stick with when you are having fun doing it so you will continue to want to get up off that couch each day and have a dance party!

• There are 5 high-energy dance workouts and 1 Dance Conditioning workout (Plus BONUS workout when you order through me!) to give you all the calorie-burning benefits of a great cardio workout to fire up your metabolism.
• NO complicated moves; NO weights; NO equipment.
• Dancing barely feels like a workout!
• Autumn’s foolproof portion-control container system is included to let you lose weight by eating what you want in proper amounts.

Who Is Country Heat For?

Absolutely ANYONE from beginners to 21 Day Fix graduates, people who are advanced in their fitness that want something different and fun!  It is great for all ages and fitness levels! People who like Zumba, people who want to lose weight and are looking for results in 30 days! People who generally don't like to exercise or who want a lifestyle change, but aren't sure where to begin!

You don’t need to know how to dance, you just need to follow along and move your body to get results with this low-impact cardio program.

What Is Included In The Package?

You will get:
* 6 workouts on 3 DVDs - each workout is 30 minutes or less!
*7 Color coded portion controlled containers to effectively help you portion out your food
*Country Heat Nutrition Plan - an easy to follow guide that has recipes, tips, and more to help you get results.
*30 Days of Shakeology in the flavour you choose - that will help you curb those cravings and give you that extra nutrition your body needs!
*Quickstart Guide - This is a simple 3 step guide that will help you jump into your first routine and get started with the eating plan
*30 Day Calendar of all the workouts in just the right order so you know exactly which one to do each day an help you stay motivated and get great results!
*Plus when you get the challenge pack you get access to Country Heat on Beachbody On Demand which gives you unlimited access to stream Country Heat and MANY other workouts to your desktop, laptop, tablet, TV or mobile device. This means you can start your workouts as soon you purchase!!

Are You Ready To Dance?

I am launching my first official Country Heat Launch Group on August 1st!  You will get personal mentoring, guidance and support from me in an exclusive private online accountability group!  We will dance through the entire program from beginning to end together! I will be there to help you stay accountable, track your food and keep you motivated!

All you need to do is get your name on the list to be the FIRST to know about the program launch!

If you do not currently have a coach the first step is to make me your FREE Coach.  Click here to sign up for free.

Are you a part of our Facebook Launch group? All of the details and information on the launch will be posted there! Stay up to date by Joining Here

If you would like to be in the official test group please complete the application below. I will be going through the applications and selecting a group of people who are committed to making healthy changes in their lives! Don't wait too long! These spots fill up fast!

Fill out my online form.

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The Heatwave is Coming!

If you didn't know I am a huge fan of country music so this is very exciting for me!! On July 28th this new program is going to blow up!!

Country Heat is a cardio dance fitness program put together with TOP country hits! Woot! This is a low impact, high energy program that will keep your heart pumping for the full 30 minutes. Even if you are not a country fan you are going to love how easy this is to follow!

It is only 30 days and has already had amazing results coming in from the test groups!

My friend is NOT a country fan at all but LOVED this program and lost 14 pounds and 13 inches in only 30 days!

I’ve had several people asking what songs are in the program. So I have done some research and found out that it will include these and more!

Country Heat Play List:
Night Crawl by Jo Dee Messina - She wrote this specifically for this program!  Love her to bits!
All About Tonight by Blake Shelton
Kick Up the Dust by Luke Bryan
Crash and Burn by Thomas Rhett
Some Days You Gotta Dance by Dixie Chicks - My ladies!!
Bar Hoppin’ by Sandra Lynn
Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex
One More Last Chance by Vince Gill
Play Something Country by Brooks and Dunn
I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw
Born to Boogie by Hank Williams Jr.
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy by Big and Rich
Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson

There is another sneak peek coming up on July 18th! I cannot wait to get my cardio sweat on to this new peek at the program! If you want in the know and to learn all of the details BEFORE the launch on the 28th friend me on Facebook or click here and I will get you into the group with all of the info :)

Time to move our booty!!

More Than 2 Children!

Over the weekend I realized while looking at photos from a family gathering that my 5 year old twin girls put together are 10 pounds LIGHTER than the total amount of weight I have lost! 10 POUNDS LESS! My goodness.  I have lost the equivalent of 2 children!!

I started this as a fluke. Really didn't think I would follow through with any of the program at all! I mean really I have quit ANY and ALL types of fitness programs out there... You name it, I've tried it and quit, BESIDES this!  The first week was killer, I was sore, tired and didn't feel like doing the workouts... They are only 30 minutes! So I pushed myself for that first week and then it got easier and I started to look forward to my late night workouts after I was home from work and got the kids into bed. It has become routine for me now AND my girls all join in for some fun exercise :)

To see how much what I do has affected my children inspires me to continue on this each day! I know this is such an amazing change from what they used to see from me, makes my heart smile to see them getting up and jumping to "fire" or dancing with their favourite dance instructor! lol

It's amazing what you can do with some consistency, healthy eating (I still have treats here and there) and a group of women who are all supporting each other through the programs!

Join in our next group for amazing support and accountability on your own health and fitness journey!

~ Love yourself ~
-Mandy

My Insecurities

Today I REALLY had to remind myself of what I have accomplished so far in my journey.

I was visiting family and I just couldn't get myself out of my swimsuit cover-up. I was embarrassed of my stretch marks... my belly button isn't as pretty as it was before pregnancy... my bottoms were a little tighter than I thought they should have been...

I did eventually take the cover up off and got into the pool to cool off but when I got back out I put it on again...  I haven't been this self conscious in a very very long time! I practice self love and work on myself EVERY DAY!  So this was a feeling I was scared to see rise again in myself. 

When we got home I took my shirt and skirt off, walked around the house in my bikini for a while to get myself ready to REALLY look at myself in the mirror.  And you know what I saw... Yes stretch marks, yes my belly button, but I also saw a MOM that carried 3 babies in her body (2 at one time even!) I saw a woman that has worked hard to achieve an 87 pound weight-loss! My husband and my girls looked at me and they did not say one thing about my flaws that I was so scared to show the world.

So next time I am out with my family, I am not going to cover up because of my insecurities!  I am going to be proud of how far I have come!

If you are anything like me and struggle with your self image, remember you are not alone!  Even after all of this time I can fall back into the trap of my self doubt sometimes BUT I AM NOT going to let it consume me I am going to keep working on myself and NEVER will fall back into the spiral I was in before!

We can do this together :) Send me a message on Facebook or Email me, I would love to learn more about you! 

~ Love yourself now ~
-Mandy

Take Those Photos!

This is a little of an emotional day for me.

I am looking through photos of my girls.... As I look through them and remember all of those amazing times watching them grow, giggle, smile, crawl, walk my heart breaks a little.

Now yes there are a couple of reasons I am sad looking back on these photos.  One is because I really really miss the baby stages and would love to live them all over again.... and the most important reason I am sad.... I am not in hardly any of the photos. There are a couple, some from the day they were born, and then again about a month later..... Then NOTHING.

I want to share this with as many of you as possible that are going through the emotions I had gone through after the birth of babies.

Looking back now, I want a do over. I want to re-live those baby days again, not only because they are the most treasured memories I have but because I would give anything to go back and TAKE THOSE PHOTOS with my babies!!

When my girls were born, I went into a state of depression. This is more common than most would think. My depression came to a point that I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror. We even took the mirrors down in the house...

Some say that women who have twins are more susceptible to postpartum depression.  Now personally I may have had a little baby blues with our first daughter (singleton) but after the twins it was so strong.  I really didn't even realize I was depressed at all, didn't think anything was wrong with me.  The state of mind I was going through was like a haze, I was stuck in a cloud and just laid around doing nothing that I can remember.  The schedule with newborn twins was one woke up, changed their bum, breastfeed, bottle feed, lay her down, wake the next one up, change bum, breastfeed, bottle feed, lay her down, pump (because I didn't produce enough) and the cycle went around and around.

My depression got to the point of being put off of work, onto medication, going to therapy...

(First selfie together - May 31, 2014)

(African lion safari - August 2015)

My oldest is now 7 and our twins are 5.  I regret that I and they now do not have any photos of us together for the first few years of their lives, it looks like I wasn't even around.  2 years ago I started to get more comfortable with myself. My confidence started to rise. I no longer run from photos, in fact, I am now a huge selfie fan! We do family snapshots and selfies as much as possible and my girls and I now have a big supply of photos with each other of our day to day lives!

What changed for me?

There came a point when I finally realized I WAS WORTH IT!  There is a moment that I thought if I don't change something, my life is seriously going to change (not in a good way). So I spoke with my husband and jumped into a new adventure. I started to work on me, because we all hear that if mom isn't happy no one is happy and I truly believe my moods were rubbing off on my children in a negative way.  I noticed my oldest was becoming more self conscious each day.  Our children look up to us, they think we hung the stars and the moon.

(Nature walk - August 2015)

(Father's day nature walk - June 2016)

So it was time for me to try to live to my best self. I started an at home program because I knew with 3 children and a full time job that took me away from the house 12 hours a day, time wasn't really on my side. In doing this not only did I start eating better and exercising, I joined a team of women who uplifted me and inspired me to be and do more. We work on ourselves and each other by doing personal development. Yes it sounds really weird, I didn't want to do it at first BUT when I started it I learned so much about myself and became much more confident in who I was and now am! Every morning I get up before the girls and listen to something uplifting, it starts my day off on the right foot!

(My workout buddies)

My biggest regret was running away and hiding from photos when the cameras came out.  I want all moms to know that our babies don't stay babies forever. I know it is hard to overcome your body image you have of yourself but your kids love you!  Your family loves you!  You will one day again learn to love yourself, I promise!  It isn't an easy task but try your best to jump into those photos with your babies because years down the road you may feel the regret I feel for not sharing the lasting still moments of being in the photos with my babies.

(Was a tough workout)

(Even my husband is getting used to the selfies all the time lol)

If any of you learn anything from this PLEASE please be it to get into those photos!  Even when you don't want to because years down the road you will want those memories. Go out, have fun, smile, laugh and get into those photos!

If you are like me and would like to talk about anything at all or learn more about how I overcame, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!  Find me on Facebook or send me an email I would love to connect with you!

~ Love yourself right now wherever you may be ~
-Mandy

(Fun times at an event - May 2016)

Exclusive All Access Pass into Beachbody Coaching

Sneak Peak into Beachbody Coaching!

MY AMAZING TEAM; For the VERY FIRST time is going to open up our vitural doors and share with you what this coaching thing is! Have you been watching and wondering if you have what it takes to be a Coach? This is your chance to see what it is all about :)

Starting Monday we will be sharing with you what we do as coaches and how it has changed our lives!

Almost 2 years ago I started this, having absolutely no idea what it was that I had gotten myself into. It originally started to just give myself some accountability to get into a healthier mindset and lifestyle. I had no time and no experience in business, marketing, or leading others!

But I DID have determination to get healthy for me and my family! So I took a leap of faith and started on this path to lead a better more fulfilling life. This decision has been one of the best decisions our family has made! We now have an amazing community of others who are inspiring, encouraging, supportive and all of which I now call my own family <3 p="">
We will go over everything you would need to know about coaching and how to make an informed decision about the business! This may not be right for everyone but it could be right for you!

Some questions we will go over in the group are:
*Do I have to be at my fitness goals?
*How much time do I spend on the business?
*How can you save money on all Beachbody products?
*How do we earn free trips and fun gear?
*Do you have to know how social media works?
*How do you earn an income?

And much more! If you have ever asked yourself if this is something YOU could do, this is your opportunity to have a closer look into this amazing community!

Join us right here FREE on Facebook, to have a look, ask questions, and see if this is something for you or not.

If you or someone you know would like a spot in this group Email Me, or Add me on Facebook and send me a message and we will get you into the group!

----- INCOME DISCLAIMER ----
Team Beachbody® does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach's income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill. See our Statement of Independent Coach Earnings for the most recent information on the actual incomes of all our Coaches.

The Master's Hammer and Chisel - Progress!!

Soooo here is my progress for the last 3 weeks!!! Yes I said 3 weeks!!!!!



Still skeptical if workouts from home work?! I am living proof that they do :)

Wonder if after babies you can get your body back?? YES you CAN!! This body has carried 3 babies (1 set of twins)!! My body is better now than it was pre-pregnancy!!!

Now I'm not losing much weight as that is not my goal right now. I've lost about 3 pounds but have gained definition! My bum is lifting and my abs are starting to pop!

Seeing this progress gives me even more motivation to push harder and keep going! Bring on the next few weeks!! I cannot wait to see the end result!!

Are you still skeptical? I would love to help you see that this can work for you! Send me a Friend request or an email if you're ready to get your own proof that these programs work :)

Spaghetti Squash

Have you ever tried Spaghetti Squash??

I hadn't before my mother in law made if for us one day and I loved it!  At that time I still wasn't really sure what it was or how to make it so it took a few years for us to actually pick one up and try it out.  Now we pick them up as a nice substitute for noodles when having spaghetti :)

We have since made it a few different ways and wanted to share a couple of them with you so if you have not tried it to get you inspired to try something different.

Ingredients:
*1 spaghetti squash
*canola oil
*minced garlic cloves
*black pepper

Toppings:
*feta cheese
*chopped tomato
*chopped red pepper
*your favourite home-made spaghetti sauce
*whatever your hearts desire


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Cut  your squash in half, wipe on some canola oil, sprinkle with minced garlic cloves and black pepper.

3. Flip in open side down onto your pan and bake for about 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes you should be able to easily poke your fork through the skin.

4. Once cooled enough to touch (or use tongs) grab the squash and flip over.  With a fork start grating the inside of the squash out away from the skin. 

Add some chopped tomato, chopped red pepper, feta cheese or put the squash on your plate and cover in your favourite home make spaghetti sauce.  Choose whatever your hearts desire and enjoy!

We have kept the seeds in the past to see if we can grow them ourselves too!  Wish us luck for this summer!