5 month Post-pregnancy fitness journey update

Hey guys! Sorry it's been awhile since my last post-pregnancy fitness journey. I'm already 5 months in and Christmas is two days away!!! Omgee. Christmas Eve is tomorrow. So first and foremost Merry Christmas to you all. I wish you guys the very best, safe Christmas this year. 2014 is already over and 2015 is right around the corner. Crap, it's already here by the time we know it.

So here is my update! Right now I'm rocking Shaun T's Focus T25 workout program and wowza, it is a killer workout for cardio. When I started, my calves were on fire. I seriously had to do all of my movements modified. Which was okay with me, but it made me realize how much I needed to workout on my cardio. Boy was I out of shape. Now I'm in week 6 and I can say I have progressed so much. I'm still doing modified movements because of my knee injury but I'm totally okay with that. I'm still making progress and that's all that matters. Shaun T is an incredible motivator, so I'm so excited to start Insanity Max: 30 come January 5th.

Here I am. 30 pounds lighter and I'm so excited to keep going. When I had initially gotten pregnant I lost all focus of fitness because I was so scared to have another miscarry. And that wasn't like me. I love having a workout routine and I had completely lost it. Up until my third trimester when my midwife had told me I was gaining excessive weight. Boy, that hit me hard! I've never really heard those words before, at least not to my face. So it was an eye opener for sure. Then I found out about coaching and Shakeology, joined a challenge group, rocked out to P90X with good ole Tony, and never looked back since. I'm so anxious to start the New Year and be in the best shape of my life!! I know 2015 will be my year. I will make it my year!

Seriously when you first start, it's going to suck. You will feel winded, you will hurt, you will cry, you will be sore, and you will sweat your heart out. But you know what you did it! You started. Now it's time to keep that momentum alive and to keep it going. If you're tired of always starting over, then STOP QUITTING! It's so easy to quit. It's so easy to be fed up with it because you're not seeing a change in a week or even a month. Creating a lifestyle change takes time. People don't realize that when we seek out results you need to put the time in, the effort it takes to finally see those changes. It takes years to be in the best shape of your life. We're already rolling into 2015, how much time have you let go by before you decide enough is enough; I'm going to take my life back and make this year worth it!

So here's the game plan. I'm going to be starting a fitness challenge group come January 5th, 2015 called "Rock Your Resolution" and I want you to join me! I not only want you to start of the year right, but I want to encourage you and teach you how to be successful at accomplishing your New Year resolution. This year is your year! Don't let another year pass you by. Don't start off strong and then give up come mid February. Let's set these goals together, make a plan, crush your goals, and finish 2015 strong. Why not you? So join my group. I'll be starting out with Insanity Max: 30 followed with P90X2 and P90X3. Damn straight!!! I'm making it count. I'm making a whole New me.

So what are you waiting for? Come sign up today and make the commitment!! Fill out my awesome application and let's rock out the New Year. 2015 here we come!!!

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"Rock Your 2015 Resolution"

Oh my gosh! Where has 2014 gone? Seriously, didn't this year just start? I swear I remember last October so distinctively because that was the month I had found out I was pregnant with my baby boy. I had no clue I was even pregnant, it was so unexpected. And then bam!! Now, he is 5 months old. I'm sure you can all relate to how fast this year has gone by. It seriously seems like every year just happens so much faster than the last. Don't you agree?

Well, as you all know, with a New Year also brings forth New Year resolutions. Have you made your list of resolutions yet? Do you even have a solid plan that will make you successful this year? Did you know that a third of people who do make New Year resolutions will break them before the year is out; heck, they won't even make it to the end of January. Crazy right! So check out 10 tips that will help you be successful with your 2015 New Year Resolutions:

Your Action Plan

1. Write It and Measure It
Alright, so like any other goal, your resolution is as such. So your resolution should be both specific and measurable. Writing down goals is one of the best ways to accomplish them, and so is figuring out the exact steps needed to get there. So for instance, "I want to lose weight" is a common New Year resolution, however, you need to explain exactly how do you go from point A to point B? Choosing a more specific result, like "I want to lose 15 pounds by June this summer" gives you a specific amount of weight you'd like to lose and the time frame of when you want to attain it by. A great tool to use when writing down goals is the SMART model: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, and Time-bound.

2. Make Resolutions Manageable
The key to sustainable resolutions is to make changes smaller and more gradual. So if your goal is to go from never lifting weights to wanting to gain muscle mass and tone up, then start with resistant training and low weights. Then over the course of a few months, gradually increase your weight along with your reps. So the best way to approach all your fitness resolutions is slow and steady.

3. Break Up the Goal
A goal that's either far in the future or far out of your comfort zone can be tough to start, so break that resolution down into achievable steps, or better yet, give yourself several smaller resolutions throughout the year. Say you want to add 80 pounds to your squat in 2015, aim to add 6.6 pounds per month. Doesn't that seem more achievable and less scary?

4. Treat Yourself!
What better way to reward yourself when you reach your goals? Choose a reward that won't undo your hard work, like a mani-pedi, massage, some new fitness swag (my personal favorite), or a movie date.

5. Question Your Motives
Superficial goals may lose their appeal after endless weeks of diet and exercise. Try framing fitness as a direct path to health and happiness. When you hit the gym think about why you made this resolution? What do you want to achieve? Is your end goal to inspire others that anyone can do it also? By developing answers that elicit a deep and powerful emotional response it can help motivate your goals.

6. Keep things Interesting
It's nice to stick to a scheduled routine. But keep things interesting by incorporating a variety of exercises. So if you're lifting weights 3 times a week and running twice a week, trying throwing in a yoga class or kickboxing for a cardio day. Mix and max so that way you don't get bored with your routine. This will make your exercise program more fun to follow and something you will grow to love doing, instead of it being like a chore.

7. Keep a Schedule
Time management is super important for accomplishing any goal. Make your fitness routine work for you. Pick a time of day when you have energy, schedule a workout, and rise and repeat.

8. Hold Yourself Accountable
Stay on track! Have a workout buddy or be involved in a fitness group where you have people who can help you stay accountable. This can be quite challenging on it's own, so get that support system. You'll need it to keep your motivation alive.

9. Don't Be Afraid to Scale Back
Don't feel pressurized to double yourself in pain and sweating your eyeballs out. Some people love intense workouts, but for others, ramping up the pain just means they'll dread the exercise. So challenge yourself to a workout that will push you a bit outside of your comfort zone, but there's no need to catapult yourself a thousand miles from it.

10. Be Forgiving
We all know that the start point of new beginnings are the most exciting, the most invigorating. So sometimes it's so easy to see it wear off and take a few days off, maybe even a week or two. Often times it leads to an "Ah, screw it" mentality and you end up wanting to quit entirely. But slip ups are fine. It happens, we all have our moments of weakness. We're all human right? If taking time off means slightly tweaking your resolution, then so bet it- just don't give up!!

It's so easy to jump into a fitness routine without thinking about working up a game plan, creating a schedule and writing down your goals. This is where people fail. So if you need that additional knowledge on where to get started and how to stick with your 2015 New Year resolution, then let me help you! I will be running a 60 day accountability, support fitness group called "Rock Your 2015 Resolution" beginning Monday, January 5th. I will teach you all of these things, we will work out a game plan, you will commit to me 100%, I will keep you accountable, keep you motivated, teach you meal planning and prepping, give you health tips, and teach you how to keep an amazing routine that you will be able to continue on and turn it into a lifestyle. So why not commit? You'll have an amazing support group that will be in the same exact boat you're in and know what you're going through and will help you stay accountable, cheer you on every day through the entire challenge, and motivate you to stick with your goals. It'll be a fun, exciting, rocking group!! Why not get your best transformation this year? Make 2015 your year! So head over to my link and make me your FREE coach. Let's rock this year together!!

Please fill out my application and we will discuss our game plan in further detail once you've completed it and have submitted it to me.

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"Get Yourself Off the Shelf" Fitness Challenge!

Hello all!!!

Who's excited that Christmas is just around the corner? I mean it is literally 15 days away...eek! I absolutely love Christmas. Everything about it, the lights, the decoration, the music, the movies...I mean 'Home Alone' was on finally last night and I look forward to watching that movie every single year. One of my top favorites for sure. Let's see what else. Being together with family, sharing the same values, loving the endless food and goodies we get the entire holiday season, and just being grateful for everything God has given us. Well that should be every day right? 

So with that said...when is it during the Holidays do we truly focus on our health and fitness. In fact, roughly 75% of annual weight gain takes place during the holiday season. Plus, if you just put on two pounds over the course of 10 years, you'll gain 20 hard-to-lose pounds! This is what experts call "creeping obesity" and unless you can avoid holiday weight gain, you'll be hard pressed to avoid the creep. 

So why do we end up gaining majority of our weight during the holiday season? Well, we are faced with endless amounts of holiday treats, decadent desserts, rich beverages, endless parties and festivities that interrupt our normal eating routine. Don't get me wrong, indulging is okay....but to a point. Tis the time to celebrate, so I encourage you all to do so but also make a commitment to yourself by balancing and modifying. Think of it this way, if you commit to keeping the pounds of now, you don't have to worry about them later. 

Here is my proposal to you! The best way to keep your motivation, determination, and accountability alive during this holiday season is to be part of a challenge. And what better way to do that then to be a part of my Fitness support challenge group. "Get Yourself Off the Shelf" will be a 60 day challenge group. You will have me as your coach for FREE! I will help you stay accountable, give you the best support and motivation you need during the holiday season. I'll provide healthy recipes, tips, meal planning and prepping, and we will discuss which Beachbody program will best suite you and your fitness needs along with a 30 day supply of Shakeology.  I promise you, if you stick to your workout program and your nutrition plan you are capable of losing up to 10 pounds and shed inches during this 60 day challenge. 

Additionally, I will continue the challenge an additional 30 days on top of the 60 at no cost to you! So you have me as your coach for 90 days FREE. How great is that to continue onto the New Year with a new you and continuing to challenge yourself further preparing your Beachbody for the Summer of 2015. So are you in?? Let me help you get your best transformation yet and get you beach body ready for the New Year. 

Further more, as an added bonus. I will throw in a personal Christmas gift to the one person who has the best transformation!! This gift will be Tony Horton's amazing fitness program P90X plus. Whaaaat?? Yup. That's right. It's a step up from P90X. With these 5 extreme workouts (in 4 DVDs), Tony amps up the muscle confusion with intense new cardio, muscle chiseling, and ab/core ripping moves to bump up your fitness gains from P90X. 










Who wouldn't be excited to get this amazing workout program for FREE?! All you have to do is join my fitness group and work for it. So what are you waiting for? I'm recruiting only 5 people for this group so reserve your spot now and fill out my application to be considered. 

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Holiday Tips: How to Avoid Overeating

Okay, so the holiday season is here ya'll! And it is all about the food, the smells, the goodies, the sweets, the aromas, and just the comfort of feasting with close friends and family. Growing up, my mom was always going full force in the kitchen making tons and tons of food for the holidays. And it wasn't just your basic turkey, or ham, it was authentic Filipino food. Which consisted of pancit, egg rolls, chicken adobo, dinuguan, chicken pastel, rice, leche flan, etc...and it went on and on. This didn't include what my aunts and uncles made either.

So I was born and raised around big holiday food tradition. The comfort of these smells and foods is why it is so common that majority of people overeat an overindulge during this time of year. We seek pleasure in our eating and attach it to our emotions, what we felt, what it reminds us of, and that satisfaction when we eat it. However, if you're looking to change your lifestyle and live healthier, but still enjoy those childhood memories then here are a few tips to avoid over eating and over indulging during the holiday season.

After you over do it, in this case over eat, look at the situation realistically. Depriving yourself of every treat, goodie, or yummy tasty alcoholic beverage you enjoy, will make it more difficult, especially when you see it surrounding you during this time of year. So, instead of resisting try to aim in maintaining your weight over the holidays, especially if you have had recent success with losing weight.

*Emotional Triggers*
Often times holiday over eating is triggered by emotions and memories, both good and bad. Just like how I described my childhood memories with my mom cooking a Filipino feast (Yumo!). Instead of reflecting back and getting carried away by all your fun filled food memories, try this. Before you head out to a holiday party, family dinner, or a friend's holiday brunch, think about the memories connected. By being aware of your feelings, it may help you over come the temptation to bring on happy feelings with an extra serving of pumpkin pie or smothering your bad feelings with a handful of snickerdoodle cookies.

*Have a Strategy*

Creating a strategy before a holiday party will help you make healthier choices. For instance, portion control.
1. Drink a glass of water before you eat. It will take up space and is calorie free.
2. Start with the fruits and veggies. This gives you the opportunity to eat healthy at first, that way if you're tempted to eat that decadent cheesecake, you may not have any room left.
3. Skip dips and dressings. These are extra calories that can be easily avoided.
4. Eat slowly and wait 20 minutes. It takes 20 minutes for you brain to realize you're full. So by the time 20 minutes rolls by you might find you don't want that second helping of dessert or even want it at all.
5. Try small amounts of multiple foods. This will give you variety, along with having smaller portions.
6. Limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol involves empty calories. Drink your one favorite drink and stick to water the rest of the night. However, everyone enjoys a cup of holiday cheer. So if you do decide to make it more than a cup, make a point to drink a full glass of water between drinks.
7. Stay social by meeting new people or catching up with friends/ family. You can avoid over eating or over indulging all together.
8. Stick to your exercise regime. This will help you keep your momentum and won't be so hard to pick back up after the holidays are over.
9. Make a list of the GOOD reasons you don't want to gain weight over the holidays or why you want to lose weight come the New Year. So for example, I want to finally have a six pack by summer time, or I want to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans by Spring.
10. Don't beat yourself up! If you do slip up at a party, don't be so hard on yourself. It is the holidays after all. Tomorrow is a new day and you will have an opportunity to do better and feel amazing about making good healthy choices.


If you think you over did it and you want to get back on that healthy train to success for the New Year and need help, then come join one of my online VIP Facebook challenge groups to help get you back on track, keep you accountable, motivated, and get the support you need to train for success. You can have me as your coach for Free for 60 days. I will help mold you into a better you come 2015. Ring in the New Year with a new and healthier you. Only you have the ability to change who you want to be and to seek greatness into your life. So stop waiting and wondering and join my group!

Fill out the application below and we will discuss in further detail the perfect program for you :) Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

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"Holiday Hustle for The Muscle" Challenge Group

Hey everyone!

So I have a new 60 Day challenge group starting up December 8th called "Holiday Hustle". And what's super exciting about this group is that there will be a new fitness program launched by yours truly Shaun T's 'Insanity Max 30.

If you missed my blog on the program, you can check it out here: http://juliecbishop.blogspot.com/2014/09/insanity-max-30-launches-december-2014.html

It launches December 2nd! This is exciting stuff. You get an amazing workout that is suited for anyone, whether you're at a beginner level or an advanced, to get an insane workout during the holidays. If you're amped for time, this is perfect! It's only 30 minutes. Who doesn't have 30 minutes? The program is 60 days long and is broken down into month 1 and month 2. The main focus of this program is to "MAX OUT" and go as hard as you can go until you absolutely need that break. This is where you want to seek out progress and track it. You'll have the tools to write it all down and visually see where you are and where you want to be each week.

So if you're interested in rocking out this program for the holidays, let me know. It's only available through a coach once it launches on December 2nd. So if you don't have a coach, make sure to make me yours and get it exclusively through my site --------> Click my link to get a FREE account, have me as your coach. Once you create your account, you'll be able to send me a quick message by clicking the "CONTACT MY COACH" button. Let me know you want to MAX OUT with Shaun T and I'll give you more details on how to get your hands on it.

So, this challenge group is not solely based on Insanity Max:30. It is open to all Beachbody fitness programs and I encourage you to do the one that will best suit you. If you're not sure, then we will discuss it in further detail. I'm looking for 5 people who are ready to rock out their New Year Resolution now! Why wait until January 1st when you can get a head start on your health and fitness journey. So fill out my application to get started. Give yourself a better you this Holiday Season!

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Sore Muscles. When to push yourself, when to rest, and how to fuel post workout.

Starting a workout program can be challenging. Making the time to exercise, creating a balanced routine, and setting goals are hard enough. But add to that the muscle soreness that comes with adapting to that regimen, and it may be difficult to stay on track. Chances are you won't be leaping out of bed to get to the the gym or pushing play on your next workout to your Beachbody program. But experiencing muscle soreness is perfectly normal.

Muscles go through quite a bit of stress when we exercise. So mild soreness is just a natural outcome of any physical activity. So after the first 2 days of exercise the muscle soreness you will experience is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). The cause of DOMS is microscopic tears of a breakdown in muscle tissue that happens during your workout. So introducing new activities or suddenly increasing intensity can cause DOMS to occur. The damage combined with inflammation that accompanies these tears, causes the pain.

So what can you do to alleviate the pain?
Several remedies such as ice, rest, anti-inflammatory medicine, massage, heat, and stretch have been reported as helpful in the process of recovery. Foam rolling is a great technique to inflict a deep tissue massage to break down the knots in your muscles, resuming normal blood flow and function. It also helps release trigger points to re-establish proper movement patterns. 

Don't Get into a Rut.
It's important to distinguish the difference between moderate muscle soreness induced by exercise and muscle overuse or injury. So if soreness prevents you from performing daily activities associated with living and work then that is too much soreness. So don't overdo it. Listen to your body! Rest when you need rest. 

Post Workout Fuel.
The hour after you finish exercising is your nutrition spot. The quicker your muscles recover, the less sore you get. So never skip your post workout snack. 

The first thing your body needs is a nice fresh supply of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and are used by your body for making muscles, hormones, neurotransmitters, bones and all sorts of other important things. Exercise depletes critical amino acids such as glutamine, valine, isoleucine and leucine–and the way you replenish your body's supply is with protein. That means meat, chicken, eggs, fish or whey protein powder.

The second thing you need is some carbohydrates. Exercise draws upon your body's stores of glycogen, which is the storage form of sugar. Glycogen waits in the liver and the muscles for a signal that sugar is needed: "Hey, she's exercising, let's give her some fuel!" Your body can hold about 1,800 calories of sugar as glycogen, which is plenty to fuel any workout short of a marathon, but athletes do best when their glycogen stores are full, so unless you are on a carb-restricted diet, some slow-burning carbs after working out is a good idea. (Hint: The best carbs are oatmeal, brown rice, grains like quinoa or amaranth, and all vegetables and fruits).

Your muscles need protein for repair and growth, and your body needs some carbs to replenish its glycogen stores. Truth be told, after a hard workout your body is like the plant in Little Shop of Horrors: It's crying "Feed me!" and it won't take no for an answer. Remember, right before exercise you have to consider the time it takes to digest food, so you need to go light. But post-workout is the ideal time to have a full meal. So what's the best meal, or combination of foods, to have post-workout?

Shakeology is a great post workout meal.  It has a perfect combination of protein and carbs along with all the essential amino acids and nutrients your body needs to recovery from the workout you just did.  At least you don't have to stand there in the kitchen wondering if what you are eating is the right option.  Instead whip up a shake and go!  It honestly is refreshing and delicious! 

Results and Recovery Drink -

P90X^® Results and Recovery Formula^® tastes so great, you won't believe how good it is for you! When recovering from intense workouts, Results and Recovery Formula will provide you with the vital nutrients you need to bounce back from your workout. And the delicious, smooth orange flavor makes it the perfect post-workout reward.

Benefits:

• Dextrose-based formula for optimum glycogen replenishment*
• A high Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) blend to provide the critical building blocks for rapid muscle resynthesis*
• Vitamins, including antioxidants, to help reduce muscle soreness and assist in repair and growth

Chicken & mixed veggies.
Four ounces of skinless, boneless chicken breast contains almost 35 grams of high-quality protein as well as small amounts of calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron; 255 mg of phosphorus; 287 mg of heart-healthy potassium; and 75 percent of the recommended dietary intake for niacin, a Bvitamin that's important in energy metabolism. One large (6-ounce) chicken breast is even more loaded: It contains more potassium than there is in a medium banana, plus a whopping 53 grams of protein.

The fat in boneless, skinless chicken is mostly monounsaturated. Only 1.1 grams of the 4 grams of fat in 4 ounces of chicken is saturated fat. The vegetables provide carbs and fiber. If you like, you can have half of a sweet potato with the meal and a spoonful of olive oil and/or almonds on the vegetables.

Breakfast Anytime: Egg Omelet with Avocado
Eggs are just about the best source of protein on the planet. Mix with as many vegetables as you like for a perfect meal. Hint: I also stir-fry a sliced apple into the mix. Serve with avocado for a nice dose of fiber and monounsaturated fat.

At the Gym: Whey Protein Shake
I consider whey protein powder the best protein powder available. You can mix whey powder with frozen berries (my favorite) and water, or with almost any combination of ingredients; I've thrown in a spoonful or two of peanut butter, oatmeal or sliced apple, or made it plain with water. All work. The whey provides the protein; the berries provide the carbs. (You can of course make the shake with milk or soymilk, but watch out for the calories. I don't recommend making shakes with juice.)

The Three S's: Salmon, Spinach and Sweet Potato
Here's the ideal balanced meal. Wild salmon for protein and omega-3s, spinach for the cornucopia of vitamins and minerals (including the superstar of eye nutrition, lutein), and a sweet potato for slow-burning carbohydrates. It's an almost perfect meal. You can add a little flaxseed oil (or olive oil or butter) to the sweet potato or even sprinkle it with almonds, but watch your portion size: While these additions are all brimming with health, they're also high-calorie items.

Bodybuilder's Delight: Tuna, Brown Rice and Vegetables
You can't go to a "hard core" gym without seeing a bodybuilder eating this old classic from a Tupperware container. A single can of light tuna canned in water and drained provides an astonishing 42 grams of high-quality protein for under 200 calories. That same can has more than 100 percent of the daily value for niacin, 29 percent of the daily value for vitamin B6 and 82 percent of the daily value for vitamin B12. And tuna is a superb source of the vitally important cancer-protective trace mineral selenium. Add some brown rice for fiber and carbs, load up with the vegetables and you're good to go.

You can't go wrong with any of those five, or variations thereof. They'll load up your body with the energy needed to refuel and the protein needed to rebuild and repair muscle. Couple them with hard, intense and frequent workouts, and you'll be on the way to the body of your dreams.

Remember no pain no gain!!!! You gotta hustle to get the muscle.