ChaLEAN Extreme Week 1 Accomplished!!!

Hi everyone!! Well I completed week 1 of my new exercise and eating program. And I have great results to report...I lost 6.2 lbs!! Amazing huh?? I think so too. I'm very proud of myself. It was not easy. Cardio 6 days a week and heavy weights 3 days a week. My meal plan has been pretty clean too, for the most part. I indulged heavily once during my work Christmas lunch. But other than that, I've ate very well. You can do this too. Work out, but more importantly watch what you eat and keep it clean!!!

As for what I eat, you can check my meal pan on this website http://teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/michis-ladder. I eat only from the top 2 tiers of michi's ladder.

Anyhow, I'm off to workout!!

6 lbs closer to my goal weight,
Coach Monney

PUSH PLAY

Hello everyone. Are you all counting down to the 2010 Coach Monney Challenge? I sure am, although I've already started my challenge. For all of you who don't know, I've changed my eating to CLEAN EATING. I am eating clean 6 days a week, and having an indulgence meal on day 7. For exercise, I am using the ChaLean Extreme program from Beachbody, weight lifting 3x a week and cardio 6x a week. Its intense, but I want extreme results!!! So far, so good. I am on day 4, and I've already dropped 3 lbs!!!

Today's tip is on MOTIVATION. I touched on this topic before, but I think I'll talk about it again, especially since you will be starting the challenge soon. There are days when you just won't feel like working out. I have them, we all do. Days when our lives keep us so busy, stressed and exhausted. So how do you find the time or the energy to workout? Well folks, you have to schedule it in. Just like you know that you have to go to work, or cook, or walk the dog, or feed your kids. You have to make the investment in yourself and schedule the time in. Write it down in your calendar which days and what time you will work out. Now, when that time comes, and you are feeling so tired, WORKOUT ANYWAY. Tell yourself that you will workout for 5 minutes, yes 5 minutes. I promise you that after those 5 minutes are up, you will be so pumped with energy, it will turn to 10 minutes, then 15, next thing you know, you've completed it! And don’t forget that wonderful feeling you get after you finished a gruelling workout..AHHH, I DID IT!!! You always feel great. Remember that feeling next time you are trying to convince yourself not to workout. I do this and I promise you it works!

If you knew me, you'd know I am a BIG FAN of beachbody products. HUGE. For those of you who don't go to the gym (like me), beachbody offers many great at-home fitness programs. Check them out….www.beachbody.com If you see something you like let me know, I am familiar with most of their products.

Ok, that's enough for now. Next time I will talk about setting goals and putting it out there in the universe.

Push Play, or as my Coach Barbie says..BRING IT,
Coach Monney

CLEAN Eating

Hi everyone. It’s been a while since I last posted. How has everyone been doing? Excited about the upcoming challenge? I notice some of you haven't registered as yet. Please do so. You are required to register to be able to participate in the challenge.

So last night I pushed play and started my 90 day transformation with ChaLean Extreme. I really enjoyed it. Boy its been a while since I've lifted weights. I forgot how much I enjoy doing it. The program was 35 minutes and it went by quickly. I'm not so mad anymore that I smashed the 15 pound weight on my finger nail!! I gotta feeling…that tonight I'm going to be SORE!!! Today is my cardio day and most likely I will walk on the treadmill for 1 hour at a 12 incline, 3 speed. (thanks Barbie for the tips…I prefer that to running).

I've changed up my diet a bit too. Eating every 2-3 hours and exercising is not enough to get results if your meal plan is not CLEAN. What is clean eating? Eating at your very best, choosing whole foods, grains and beans, fruits, veggies, lean meats and fish. Avoiding sugar (brown and white) and prepackaged foods. If you do this (which is what I am doing now), you will surely get results. Consistency and patience is the key. Once I get to my goal, I will post my before and after pics!!

Eating cleaner,
Coach Monney

COACH MONNEY'S CHALLENGE, THE RULES

You all have been asking, so here are the Challenge RULES:

1. Weigh and measure yourself on Day 1 and at the end of the challenge. Measure your waist, chest, thigh and arm.
2. EXERCISE 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. NO EXCEPTIONS!
3. EAT breakfast every day.
4. Eat every 2-3 hours.
5. Eat protein and slow carb with a fast carb at EVERY meal.
6. Drink a MINIMUM of 6 8 oz glasses of water daily.
7. Post your accomplishments weekly to stay accountable. All you have to say is something like "worked out 3 times, drank my water..etc. If you like you can email me your accomplishments, but DO THIS WEEKLY.

Those are the rules. Simple huh? In addition, EACH WEEK I will ADD a challenge that you all MUST complete. If you do not follow the rules, you will be eliminated from the challenge.

Challenge starts MONDAY JANUARY 4th, 2010.

At the end of the challenge there will be a quiz. The person who gets the most correct answers wins. If there is a tie, I will randomly select a winner. The winner is crowned Coach Monney's Bigger Loser and wins a fitness DVD!!!

Challenge #2

Hey everyone. I see a few of you completed challenge #1 and signed up. For the rest of you, the deadline is fast approaching and more challenges will be added.

Challenge #2:
Think about a workout routine you want to do during our six week challenge. You will need to commit to working out AT LEAST 3 times a week for 30 minutes. It can be anything, as long as it gets your heart rate up and you break a sweat. Walk, run, skip, cycle, turbo jam...etc. I will leave it up to you to decide. Just make sure you pick something you know you can commit to.

My routine I picked is ChaLean Extreme. You can check it out at

http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/chalean_extreme

Stay tuned for more..
Coach Monney

Coach Monney's Biggest Loser Challenge

I will be creating a 6 Week Challenge, starting Monday January 4th, 2010. Let me know if you are interested.

CHALLENGE #1: If you want to join, you will have to add yourself as a follower. The deadline for adding yourself as a follower is Wednesday December 23rd, 2009.

Stay tuned for more details.
Coach Monney

If You Really Want to Indulge…..

Today's topic is near and dear to my heart. If you've been following your eating plan strictly but have been craving something naughty, think twice and be prepared before you indulge. You will be surprised!! Many restaurants have nutritional information online, so can you easily and quickly access calories, fat grams, sodium etc..prior to consumption. If you really knew that the serving of fries you wanted to eat was 530 calories, or that chicken wrap you thought looked yummy had a whopping 820 calories, would you still crave it? Didn't think so.

As a general rule, your meals should be in the 300-500 calorie range for effective fat loss.

Be informed and you will always make the right decisions,
Coach Monney

Flax Seed and Fat Loss

Hi members. Sorry, its been a while since I've last posted. But I've been doing great keeping up my my exercise (TURBO JAMMING) and healthy eating.

Today's tip is on a beneficial supplement, Ground Flax Seed. Flax Seed is rich in fiber, ligans and omega-3 fatty acids. There are numerous health benefits associated with flax seeds, such as lowering cholesterol levels, cancer prevention, boosting the immune system, etc. In terms of weight loss, flax seed has been proven to increase metabolism, reduce hunger (due to the fiber), and help promote healthy digestion. For fat loss results, ensure you used ground flax seed instead of oil. Add a tbsp a day to your cereal, fruits, yogurt or smoothies.

Until next time,
Coach Monney

Why Do You Think its Called a DIE-t?

Today's topic is on die-ts. We all been on them, many times. But we end up regaining back the weight. Why does this happen? Well its simple and I finally understand it now. Are ready for an "AH-HA" moment? Diets don't work. Say that again, diets don't work. Sure you lose weight temporarily, but guess what? Eventually the weight creeps back up, and this time some extra fat tags along. If you truly want to lose weight for good, this what you need to do….STOP dieting. Stop restricting your calories, stop avoiding food groups, stop counting points etc.. Stop the insanity. Rather, learn how to eat more healthier at least 80% of the time and move you body more. This is not a quick fix or something temporary. This is a WAY OF LIFE.

I don't know about you, but I could not count points for the rest of my life. I could not avoid fast food for the rest of my life. But I know I can EAT every 2-3 hours, I know I can choose healthier alternatives, I know I can move more especially when its an activity I enjoy. And best of all, I know that if I indulge on a Egg McMuffin, I can and WILL get right back on track at my next meal, and STILL lose weight. This time, the FAT won't come back!

Good Riddens Fat,
Coach Monney

How to Motivate Yourself to Sweat

Good afternoon fellow fat losers. I've yet to receive feedback from each and every one of you on your fat loss journey. Please share your thoughts! Either post under comments or email me at coachmonney@gmail.com.

Today's tip comes from a question asked by one of our blog members...how to stay motivated to exercise. Well this is an easy one. Find an exercise that you ENJOY doing. If exercise feels like a chore, chances are you'd rather skip it and do something else. So find an exercise that you love. When you enjoy it, it doesn't feel like work and you tend to work out even harder. Another idea to enlist a workout buddy. Find a friend, your children or your significant other and workout with them. By doing this, you will help motivate each other to get off that couch and burn, baby burn those unwanted calories and fat. Ok, I have one more idea. Try a new exercise that you haven't done before but always wanted to. Maybe karate? What about boxing or that spinning class you always wanted to try? When you try something new it changes up your routine, exercise becomes less boring and helps you pass that plateau and burn more fat.


Get your sweat on,
Coach Monney

Fall in Love With Yourself

Good morning people. How is your fat loss quest going? Mine is pretty good. I lost another 2 lbs over the past week!! I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. So yes, my tips do work. You just have to work them and the fat will melt off. People, please do me a favor and send me you feedback. Let me know how things are going with you. I'd love to hear you, so don't be shy!!

Today's tip is on body image. Do you find yourself secretly admiring someone who is a size 2, when you are a size "not" ? Would you rather be the skinny girl or the healthy athletic one? Images are deceiving folks. On the surface you may think that size 2 you admire is fit and healthy. But if you were to look underneath the clothes, it's possible she is flabby and loose. You may come to realize that you look better than she does. Stop torturing yourself by comparing your body to someone else. We are all different and can all improve on our health and fitness. Rather, look hard at yourself in the mirror and come to appreciate your uniqueness, everything than makes you YOU. When you can accept your strengths and weaknesses and love them ALL, your fat loss journey gets easier.

I Love Myself, Every Last bit of Me,
Coach Monney

What the Heck is Cheat Meal Anyway?

Hello fellow fat losers. I had a great weekend of healthy eating and exercise. If you know me personally, then you'll know I am a fitness video addict. I have them all, from the old Buns of Steel tapes, to my ultimate favourite Turbo Jam. Beachbody just released a new fitness DVD program...Rev Abs. Its a 90 day program and looks interesting. I am so tempted to purchase it and add it to my fitness tape library. I wonder if it will surpass my beloved Turbo Jam. I'll let you know if I decide to order it.

So on to today's topic, which is near and dear to my heart. Cheat meals, cheat days. We've all heard that term before, usually when we are on a strict diet plan, and we deviate from the plan and eat something "bad". Well I don't believe in diets and I certainly don't believe in cheat meals/days. Why? Well if you are following my tips, then there really isn't any so called cheating. If you wolfed down 4 slices of pizza in one sitting, OK you indulged quite a bit. But cheat, no. Rather than feeling depressed that you set yourself back one week (which you didn't!!!), dust yourself off, realize why you ate something what was not the best option for you, learn from it and move on. The important thing is what you do AFTER you indulge. Don't continue. Exercise a little harder and get right back on track.

Till next time,
Coach Monney

Ask Coach Monney Friday's

Hi everyone. It's Friday today, so ask me any of your burning questions, and I'll make sure to answer you. I've already answered one in the comments section so take a peak. Thank-you to my Platinum star student!

Here's another question I was asked:

I don't eat until 9am, that is about 2hrs after I've woken up. I eat when I get to work and have a free min. Lately I've been eating cottage cheese with fruit and I'm wondering how good that is and how much I should be eating of it? I don't have time to make shakes in the morning.

****

Please do yourself a favor and eat within 30 min of rising and no more than 1 hr after. If you don't feel like eating a meal, have a snack like an apple or a granola bar. And then eat breakfast 2-3 hrs after that. This is very important, so please do this everyday!! I know you can do it! Plan the night before so you won't have to think about it the next morning.

Cottage cheese and fruit are excellent choices. Cottage cheese is high in protein (most people don't know that), and it's also a fast carb. Eat 1 cup. Make sure you eat that with berries though (slow carb). You can also add a slice of multi grain toast with it if you are still hungry.

My favorite breakfasts are: power oatmeal, waffles with egg whites and berries, Nature's Path Blueberries & Cinnamon (or Kashi Go Lean) cereal and banana pancakes, and protein smoothies.

Lets all BREAK-the-FAST,
Coach Monney

Step Away from the Scale. I repeat.....

Good evening my fat losers. So your fat loss journey has been great. Your clothes are more loose. Everyone is telling you that you lost weight and you look small. But you step on the scale and guess what? No change! You are the same weight you have been for the past month. AAAAHHHHHH! Well here's my tip of the day. Ditch the scale. Say hello to your tape measure. Scales are not great measures for fat loss. Why Coach Monney, you ask? Let's put it plain and simple. Muscle weighs more than fat. Well what exactly does that mean? Muscle takes up 5 times LESS space than fat. As you increase your metabolism and lose fat, you also gain lean muscle mass. So although the number on the scale appears the same, you have actually dropped a lot more fat and gained an equal amount of lean muscle. You drop size and become lean and mean.

And who really sees the number on the scale besides you anyway? What is more important is that you reduce your waistline, and look and feel better in clothes. Right?

Happy measuring,
Coach Monney

A Great Breakfast Idea

Hi folks. It's been a few days since I posted. But I hope you all have continued to eat well and exercise. I didn't receive any feedback from you, so I'll assume that you have no questions and you are all doing great on your quest for fat loss! Good job!!

I mentioned a while back that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and to make sure that you don't skip it. But what about days you don't have time or days you just don't feel like eating? Well that happens to me sometimes. The solution? Power smoothies!! Grab your blender, magic bullet or my personal favourite the NINJA MASTER PREP. http://www.ninjaoffer.com/

Add a small banana, a cup of frozen or fresh berries, half a cup of soy milk and a scoop of whey protein powder (at least 15 grams of protein and less than 5 grams of carbs per scoop). Blend and drink. Its a great start to your morning and you get a good combo of protein, fast carbs and slow carbs!!

Coach Monney

Ask Coach Monney Friday's

Good morning fellow fat losers. I've been working for the past 12 days straight and I am so glad its Friday! So as usual, today is "Ask Coach Monney" Friday's. If you prefer, you can email me and I will post your questions and respond to it on my blog. Ask away folks.

Here is one question I was asked:

Dear Coach Monney,

I am your biggest Platinum Star student and I have been following your tips, eating every 2-3 hours, combining protein with fast carbs and slow carbs, drinking water and getting my 7-8 hours sleep. but I still can't seem to lose weight. Help!

Well, I hear this all the time. On the surface it looks like you are doing the right things, but lets delve deeper. What type of foods are you eating? For your protein sources, choose skinless meat that are baked, poached, boiled or broiled, not deep fried and breaded. For fast carbs, choose brown rice and whole grain breads over white. Limit refined sugars and opt for unrefined one's. And don't forget to exercise! Try to perform some form of cardio for a minimum of 4 times a week. And this includes Hula-hoop Plus on the Wii.

Oh and to Miss Mama, you beat me fair and square yesterday during our water challenge. So you know what that means....its ON today!

Next week, we will talk about how to read labels on packaged foods.

Happy Eating folks,
Coach Monney

Cheers!!!

So today is my second day posting on this blog.  I am very excited about it.  But I am disappointed at the same time.  Where are all the great questions and comments I get daily?  Don't be afraid to share your thoughts.  We all can learn from one another.  But enough about that and on to business....

I wanted to share with you something fun I did today, and ended up consuming more water than normal.  Well, I noticed I was slacking on my water intake over the past few days due to stress.  So today I decided to make this a fun challenge.  I asked a friend at work to join me.  We (bet) each other that we would drink 4 500 ml glasses of water today at work.  Well, since your beloved coach loves challenges, I ended up gulping down 3 of those by noon and another 2 before I left work.  That's equivalent to 10 8 oz glasses!!

Oh ya, I won the challenge by a landslide.  (sorry DN)

Make your fat loss goals fun and you will surely accomplish them.

Happily drinking,
Coach Monney

Multivitamins

Hi fellow fat losers! So I had an extremely busy day today and was not able to send you my usual fat loss tip of the day! But I am sure you continued to trek along eating every 2-3 hours, right?

Today's tip is....multivitamins!!! How many of you take one daily? Did you know that taking a multivitamin increases your metabolism? Yes, it really does. Studies have proven that taking a multivitamin daily is linked to fat loss. Why? Certain nutrients help maintain blood sugar levels, help control appetite, promotes energy and stimulates metabolisms. Even though we are eating healthier now (right???), it is still necessary to supplement your diet. There are many herbs and supplements out there, but the most important is a general multivitamin. Start taking one today.

If you need ideas, try this website.

http://www.naturessunshine.ca

I personally use those products.

Happy eating, and get your 7-8 hours sleep.
Coach Monney