Celebrate Your Independence!

First of all, I need to apologize to you, my loyal customers. The month of June has been a trying time for me, and I did not make the opportunity to keep up with the emails to you. Well, I received some very "hot" emails from a few of you, basically telling me that the mid week motivations from me are seriously missed. I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me, and I pray that this will not happen again. You all are important to me, and I really do want to see you change your health and your lives for the better. If I can do anything else to encourage you or get you excited about what your future holds, please let me know.

Now, on with the motivation!

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, please do NOT allow that to be an excuse to "be free" from the healthy habits that you are making. You have come too far to take a whole weekend off! I am not saying that you cannot have your favorites - not at all! Personally, I am going to enjoy my slice of pound cake with strawberries and Reddi Whip. However, I know that with enjoying the foods that are not so healthy, I am going to have to work that much more to maintain my weight loss.

Instead, find new ways to eat old meals. How about taking a pork tenderloin, putting it in the crockpot and slow cooking until fork tender, then shredding it and adding your favorite barbecue sauce? Or enjoying a beautiful light slaw recipe instead of the heavy mayonnaise version we are used to having? Even dessert can be a treat - puree some mangoes or watermelons, add water, and put in ice cube containers to freeze? YUM!

With your exercise routine, how about you and the kids go swimming for a hour or two? Can you get in an extra walk in the morning, before the heat of the day hits like a ton of bricks (or is that just here in Birmingham, Alabama??)? If you are going out of town, take a Beachbody DVD with you and work out wherever you go.

Celebrate the freedom to get healthy and the freedom to change your life for the better! You are amazing and so worth it!

Remember, have a Happy Fourth, and keep doing it BIG!

Enjoy this cool treat I mentioned in the motivation today:

Fruity Ice Cubes
1 cup mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cane sugar

Place mangoes, water, and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium low and simmer for about 8 minutes. Pour mixture into blender and puree. Add to empty ice cube containers, then freeze until solid. If you like, after about 1 hour, put popsicle sticks into each cube. So good!!

You are Capable of Greatness!!

Hi all!!

If you do not know already, I am getting married THIS SATURDAY, April 25!! I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the past few weeks, but I wanted to make sure I got this motivational message out before I leave. I am hoping to be back to normal in the next two weeks or so, after the honeymoon, and moving to his house.

Now, on to the motivation!


You are Capable of Greatness!!

I was reading an article the other day (link is here - http://magichundred.blogspot.com/2009/04/think-your-goals-are-too-big-watch-this.html), and I was thinking about my goals and what I want to accomplish as far as my continued health is concerned. I had fallen off the fitness track during this month because of upcoming wedding and stresses at the job. My WOWY calendar for April is seriously sad. My eating has not been the best, either. I had gained a few pounds back, and was feeling bad about things. But reading this article and watching the video made me see that even though I had gotten off track, I was still capable of being GREAT!

My message to you today - you are also capable of greatness! Do not get frustrated and give up completely because life has you in a stranglehold. Do not give in because you missed your workouts or have not been eating clean meals. You are not a failure if you mess up; you become one if you let that messup stop you from succeeding. If you have been given one more day of life, that means that you have another chance to do better. Take advantage of the opportunities to be great each day! The things you do to be great do not have to be spectacular - little things mean a great deal! Get a quick walk around the block. Fix a healthy green salad with the dressing on the side. Sign in to WOWY and invite your friends and family to join you. Find a new recipe to try with your family. Look at yourself in the mirror and say positive and affirming things to yourself. What one thing can you do to create the greatness you know is supposed to be yours?

I want you to see a future full of health, vitality, and ENDLESS possibilities! Choose GREATNESS!! It is already inside of each of you, so let it SHINE! You are so worth that!

Working Out When Sore - Take It Slow

Hi all!

I hope that you are having a FABULOUS week, and that you got a chance to "Go Green" yesterday!!

Another topic that YOU asked me to discuss in the survey last month is about doing your workout when you are sore. I have three words of advice:

TAKE IT SLOW!

You have to take the time to listen to your body and gauge how you feel. Even though you may want to press through the pain and do the workout anyway, you do not know if the muscle soreness is just soreness or if it is a sign of something bigger. I have a friend on one of the Beachbody message boards that felt soreness doing P90X. She pushed through her next workouts, and the soreness got much worse. She went to the doctor and he has taken her off weights for the next 6 weeks to heal a stress injury. You may be totally different, but please take the time to listen to your body while you do your next workout and see how the soreness feels.

Here are some steps you can take to workout when you are sore:

- Step It Down: You can do this with any program! If you are doing P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme, then you can go with lighter weights or less reps while you are taking care of yourself. If you are doing Slim in 6, Power 90, or 10 Minute Trainer, you can do it with no weights or do less reps. If you are dancing to Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Yoga Booty Ballet, or Rockin' Body, then do a bit less quick movement or follow those who are doing the low impact version.

- Step It Out: Take a walk instead. Walking is easy on the joints and muscles, and it may help you with the soreness you feel. Stretching is excellent for soreness. That is just what a sore body needs - a good healthy stretch from head to toe.

- Step Within: Listen, listen, listen!! If you are doing something that is very uncomfortable for your body, then STOP! Do not try to power through the pain - your body is trying to tell you something. Be aware of your body's responses!


If you take the time to listen and take things slow, then pretty soon, you will be back to your normal workout - and better than ever!!

I hope this was a help for you! Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Let's Make 2009 OUR YEAR!!!

I have heard the saying, "Make 2009 YOURS" a lot this past month. That is all well and good and that makes me excited, but here's a thought.....why not make 2009 OURS??

Goals always seem more achievable when they are worked on as a TEAM. Collaboration toward a common goal and having that accountability partner who makes sure you are progressing is vital to this. When you experience success, then that success is shared among those with whom you have connected. Plus it motivates them to create their own success, too! When you have a setback, you do not have to figure it out alone. You can reconnect and set up another set of strategies to try and other perspectives may appear that you will never see by yourself. It also may help a team member get an idea for their own goals! Everyone wins when you work as a TEAM!

I currently coach a team of 3 highly motivated individuals who encourage Beachbody customers to see results in their workouts. We work together on our goals. When one of us succeeds, we all celebrate with them. When one of us has a setback, we think about solutions that may help that person get started again. It's a team effort, and I make it a point to let my team know they are never alone. I am also part of an incredible mastermind group, and it's the same type thing. When one succeeds, we all celebrate. When one has an obstacle, they bring it to the team and we brainstorm ideas to help them progress again.

Make sure that you connect only with those who are really serious about achieving their goals and someone who is NOT negative. Those two things will stop the progress even before it begins! Now maybe your positivity and your aggressive goal seeking will jumpstart that person, but please DO NOT, under any circumstances, allow their qualities to infect you and make you stop moving forward in 2009!!

I encourage you to share your 2009 goals with someone. Become accountable to someone else for your success, and be that accountability partner for someone else. You will be glad that you did!

So - say it with me - Let's make 2009 OUR YEAR!!

It's been a long time.....

Wow - it has been a long time since I have posted a blog on my site. A LOT of things have happened since the last post in mid-September.

The most exciting thing that has happened is that I was selected for the Hip Hop Abs 2 Infomercial, and I went to California in October to share my weight loss journey with the world. It was the most amazing experience and I would not trade that for the world. I am happy about my 48 pounds and 27 inches removed, and I am happy about where my life is right now. I really want others to experience this same feeling that I have. Here is a journal of what I did and what I experienced:

Wednesday, 10/15/2008 - We got in around 3:00. The driver picked us up and took us on the side streets to the hotel (since the freeway was a parking lot). The driver was REALLY good with his defensive driving skills - we were hanging on for dear life!! We were taking it all in, seeing how high the prices for rent were. I saw an apartment complex that did not look as good as mine does, and rent there was over $2000 a month!!! After we checked in to the Warner Center Marriott, we walked to the mall across the street to look around. We then went to Target three blocks down and picked up a few things for Anthony. Later we went to dinner at Kate Mantelini across the street from the hotel. The food was delicious! After dinner I came in to transfer all my clothes from the big suitcase to the smaller one so I could take them the next day. However, there was heavy rain at the connecting stop, and my clothes were damp as I took them out of the suitcase. I hung them to dry, and we rested the rest of the night.

Thursday, 10/16/2008 (interview day) - The van driver picked me up at 9:45 for my interview. We went to Panavision studio - about 4 or 5 minutes away from the hotel. First I went to the wardrobe trailer. The wardrobe people checked out my clothes to find the most fitted outfit they could. They liked all my pants, but only one of my tops. Luckily they brought EVERYTHING but the kitchen sink with them!! They ended up selecting a blue tee shirt, a cream camisole, and my blue jeans for my interview wear. While I was trying on a bunch of things, Chris (from the original HHA infomercial) came out from his interview session! I got a chance to meet him which was great! They then went to my fitness outfit. They loved my shorts, but hated my tops. We chose my shorts and a couple of tops to go for my fitness outfit. They also had my fat pants available to wear for the photo shoot. I then went to the hair & makeup trailer. They made me look glamorous with airbrushing and did my hair as close to my style as possible. As they were finishing with me, the producer came out and said that it was almost lunchtime and they did not want to start my interview and stop for lunch. So, the people on set checked lighting with me, then we had lunch. We had orange chicken, orange tofu, jasmine rice, green beans with soy sauce, and an asian salad with lettuce, mandarin oranges, bell peppers, sesame seeds, and asian vinagrette. After lunch, my makeup was touched up, then I went in for the interview. I talked to the producer for 1 1/2 hours about Hip Hop Abs, my experiences, how I feel now, what I want to share with everyone about it. The person after me was Dixon, another from the original HHA infomercial! I did have my camera in hand that time and got a picture of him. After the interview, it was time to take still shots in my interview outfit, my fitness gear, my size 16s, and a bikini that was selected for me. The van driver took me home after I changed and left my fitness gear with the wardrobe people. Anthony and I went to Target to get a camera and some other things, then went to TGI Fridays for dinner, and came back to the hotel to rest.

Friday, 10/17/2008 (workout day) - The van driver picked all of us up at 9:15. I got a chance to meet those that I did not see during my interview time. We rode over to Dance Dimensions, which was in the mall across the street. Someone asked why we could not walk over. The driver just said, "I was asked to drive you guys over." When we got there, we were taken in two by two to change into our workout gear and get our makeup touched up. The shoot was to start at 11:00, so we sat in the front area just chatting about everything and nothing! :) The director called us in and we did a warmup led by Anna, another one of the HHA originals. As we were talking to the camera about how excited we were to be there, Shaun T came in!! EVERYONE was so excited!! We shared our weight loss stories with him and got a chance to thank him for creating Hip Hop Abs and transforming our lives. We then went into the workout. The actress, Jennifer, did a lot of talking about how great the program was and all while Shaun led us in a "warm up". Then, he really went for it. I don't remember all the moves we did, but we did a bunch of moves - the Flava, the Get Busy, the Washing Machine, the Party Bounce, the Kick It, the Booty Pop, a couple of oblique moves that I do not remember the names to, and some others. We were in rows of three, and we all got a chance to be in the front row at least four or five times. We worked out for about an hour and a half, taking breaks every 15 minutes or so. Shaun worked the crowd like he loves to do. He was showing off our Tilt-Tuck-Tighten skills by talking to the camera as we were doing certain moves. When he got to me, we were doing an side crunch to target our obliques, and he said, "Work it Clarissa!" He then talked about how my obliques were working and I was not even on the floor doing anything. He then held my right leg up with two fingers, and said to the camera, "I know she is hating me right now!" Um, yeah!! I was losing my balance and my left leg had started to buckle!!! I was thinking to myself, "OH MY GOODNESS! I am going to crash on the floor right here on national TV!!!!! Yeah, this part is getting CUT! WHOO!!!!" After the workout was over, Tania came in and we all shared how she helped us so much - one lady who had lost 96 pounds with Hip Hop Abs shared how she really used Tania to not do any jumping moves because of her knees. He wrapped it up for the shoot, then we all grabbed our cameras to take group pics. We went out and changed back into our regular clothes, and went to lunch at Kate Mantelini near the hotel. Shaun T and Tania and the executive producer and Leili came to lunch with us. We ate and laughed and talked for over 2 hours, then took individual pics with Shaun. Found out at lunch that Tania is engaged to her honey Derek! He's an artist from New York, and he proposed in a painting. She told us the story and it was SO SWEET!!! We finally left for the hotel. I got upstairs and called my cousin in San Bernardino. She told me that she was an hour and a half away. She said she would leave at 6 to give the traffic a chance to die down. Anthony got back around 5:45 from his tour and we talked while waiting for my cousin. She came about 7:45 and we all went out to Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles to eat dinner. (And NO, we did NOT go to the dangerous one down in L.A.!!) After dinner, we went to Hollywood Blvd and walked around on the walk of the stars and went to the chinese theater to get pictures of hand and footprints. We then tried to find the Hollywood sign - which was an adventure in itself that took us all around Hollywood and back to the hotel and back to Hollywood Boulevard. We finally got a chance to see it, but it was not lit up at 1:25 in the morning!!! Oh well, now she knows where it is.....ha ha ha ha ha!!! We got back to the hotel around 2:00 Saturday morning.

Saturday, 10/18/2008 - We packed our bags in the wee hours of the morning, since our flight out was at 9:00 and our driver would be picking us up at 6:45. We had our last free breakfast at the hotel, then went to the airport. We slept almost all the way to Houston. On the way back to Birmingham, there was a cat flying in its carrier in the seat in front of us. Poor kitty's ears were sensitive from all that pressure for ascending and descending!! (Sorry....I'm a cat person....) When we got home, we stopped at the Fish Market and picked up dinner. We then came home, ate, and went to sleep for Sunday.

AN INCREDIBLE, UNFORGETTABLE TRIP!!

I am also excited that I had a newspaper article written about me and my successes! I am in talks with a few people, helping them sign up to try Hip Hop Abs themselves. I want to see them succeed with their weight loss, changing their health issues, and overcoming things in their lives. I received an opportunity to be a part of the Alabama Obesity Task Force, helping to change the lives and health of people here in Alabama!! That is REALLY amazing!

All of the things that have happened over the past couple of months has really humbled me and made me see that my life is so much a part of others. This passion for helping people has always been inside me and God is allowing me to use that passion in ways that just blow my mind! I thank Him for blessing me to be a blessing to others. I will NOT let Him down!

That is why I am a coach, helping others as much as possible. I want to see SO MANY people have this same opportunity to change their health for the better and to change their financial futures for GOOD! I LOVE what I do!!!

I will keep this blog updated at least on a weekly basis with Mid Week Motivations (gonna play catch up for the holiday weekend). In the meantime, have a WONDERFUL and blessed Thanksgiving week! Keep doing it BIG!!!!

THIS COULD BE YOU!!!!

This week's motivation is about vision.

The Bible says that without a vision, the people perish. This is my attempt to give you a vision of what could be YOUR future!!!

The Million Dollar Body Game is an excellent way to get motivated to exercise. You could win up to $250,000, just for transforming your body and health! How could $250,000 change your life? Think about that for a moment. What does good health really mean to you, even if you do not win the grand prize? Check out this link to see the last year's winners: http://www.milliondollarbody.com/announcements/winners_2007.htm

Since I won the best female transformation in February 2008, I will be going for this year's grand prize myself. And yes, this could be YOU as well!!

If you want more information, please give me a call or send an email! I would love to hear from you!

Happy Wednesday!
misscmac