This gets talked about a lot in my fitness challenges, but rarely with other areas of life, and I think it’s so important we talk about it (even though it's something you may not want to hear). 

I can’t tell you how many times someone has posted in one of my challenge groups about how upset they are because they’re seeing amazing results, they feel great, and the people in their lives who they thought would be the most supportive aren't. In fact, not only are they not supportive, they're usually demeaning. “You’ve changed”, “You’re just stuck on yourself now”, “You’re obsessed”. A lot of people will hear “You’re too skinny”, when they are well within a healthy weight. “You looked better before”. It’s mind blowing the negative comments I’ve heard said to both myself and people in my challenge groups, and almost every time it goes back to one thing, them and how they feel about themselves. This has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with them. These people see you changing your life for the better, and it forces them to look at their own lives and the things they’re not happy about, but not yet willing to change. They make excuses for themselves “I could never do…”, “It’s easy for you”, “I don’t have the time, money, whatever to do that”, when in reality, where there’s a will there’s a way. If it’s something they want bad enough, they will find a way to do it.

I see the same thing happen in other areas of people’s lives, too. When I post about traveling I’m sure there are some people who say to themselves “It must be nice, she doesn’t have kids, I could never do that”, not realizing that the majority of the people I travel with do have kids, and have overcome some incredible obstacles, including bankruptcy and major health scares, to be able to do what they're doing now. Instead of letting their situation define them, they let it empower them. If someone is a successful coach I often hear people say “it’s because they have a good upline coach and I don’t”, completely ignoring the fact that some of the top coaches in the company have no active upline coach and have been very successful. They don’t have secrets, they have drive and determination. They don’t sit back and wait for someone to tell them what to do, or throw a pity party because they’re not getting the help they think they deserve, they’re going out and making it happen. They don’t let their excuses get in the way of the things they want to accomplish. 

Here’s a good test to see if you’re living to your potential and making things happen, or if you’re making yourself a victim, blaming others and making excuses. When you see someone post something positive on facebook like a vacation, losing weight, a promotion at work, a new house, what’s the very first feeling you get in your gut. Is it happiness? Jealousy? If the first thing you think is “why not me?” then it’s time to look on the inside and change the way you view the world around you. You can either let people’s successes inspire you, or shut you down with envy. Your thoughts define your life, choose wisely! 

It's so important that you live YOUR life according to YOUR priorities. If someone else doesn't approve, that's on them, not you. If this has helped you, or you know someone who's going through this right now, please share this with them! 

As promised, here is my week 2 update for the 21-Day Fix! First of all, I seriously can't believe how fast this is going. Two weeks already! 

Since my first post, I've had a few people express concern over the size of the color coded food containers. Yes, they LOOK small, but trust me, they hold A LOT more food than you'd think! In fact, everyone in my 21-Day Fix accountability group has commented at some point that they're amazed at the amount of food they're able to eat on this plan, and still lose weight! That's because they're fueling their body with nutrient dense foods. 

This week I bumped myself up the the next  level of calories, which allows me a couple extra containers. I've also been experimenting a lot more with my food. I'm still doing a lot of smoothies and stir fry's, but I've also been adding other things like sushi, sweet potato and red pepper bisque, kale, quinoa and avocado salad and brownie bites. (Yes! Brownie bites!) Now that I'm in the swing of things, food prep has become second nature and I'm able to adapt some of my favorite recipes to fit the plan. 

This week was also the first week I used one of my "Zings", or substitutions. You're allowed three Zings a week, and they include wine, chocolate and there are even a few cookie recipes you can use. I was pretty boring and I used mine for soy milk in my decaf coffee. It's actually been an interesting two weeks, I haven't even wanted to cheat on the meal plan and I haven't had any cravings at all (which is TOTALLY not like me!) It's also been super easy to follow the meal plan using printable charts that can be found here. 

This week also came with some pretty EXCITING NEWS for VEGANS! This week we got the green light to add beans, lentils and quinoa to the red foods category! This news came at the perfect time, too. After two weeks of protein powders and tofu I feel like I've swallowed a brick! I'm also pretty happy I get to add some more fiber back into my diet. So this is what the updated vegan 21-Day Fix food list looks like!

I'm getting much better with the workouts, too. I'm getting the moves down, I'm not as sore, and I'm already seeing RESULTS!!! I can honestly say that I have never in my life worked my abs as much as I have this past week, which is good news because I'm heading on a Beachbody cruise in just four short weeks. After two weeks of doing the 21-Day Fix, I'm down 2.8 lbs, putting my total weight loss since Christmas at 9.4 lbs!

So now that I'm entering into my final week, a few things are going to change. First, I'm going to add in the Plyo Fix bonus workout. This is a free workout you get when you order through your coach (me!) and can be added in any time you feel like doing a little extra cardio, or you can use it to replace Cardio Fix, which is what I'll be doing at least one of the days. Second, I'll be switching over to the 3-Day Quick Fix meal plan for my final three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This is a 3-day bikini prep meal plan that is optional for your last 3 days of the 21-Day Fix. It is a typical competition meat and veggies diet, so I'll be pulling out the tofu and protein powders again for those three days. 

This week also came with some other great news! After the 21-Day Fix SOLD OUT only 3 days after being released, back orders started shipping this past weekend. If you'd like to learn how to FUEL YOUR BODY properly for optimal weight loss and energy, reserve your spot for my next facebook accountability group by messaging me on facebook or filling out the form found here and I will get back to you shortly! 

How to do Body Beast on a 100% plant-based, vegan diet. Say what? YES! It is possible to build muscle AND follow a traditional bodybuilding diet while still remaining vegan, it just requires a little creativity! Since the bulk of most traditional bodybuilding diets are based around meat, eggs and dairy, most people would think it's not possible to make them vegan. But I'm about to show you how easy it can be! 

When Scott and I did Body Beast last fall, we wanted to follow the meal plan as close as possible, while still remaining 100% plant-based. While it did require a little tweaking and some calculations, we were able to follow the plan and had AMAZING results! See for yourself! 

The Body Beast meal plan is broken down into three phases; Build, Bulk and Beast. For all three of the phases, there are calculations to figure out your daily caloric needs, each phase's meal plan is broken down into different portions (ie. 5 starches, 2 legumes, 4 veggies, etc. per day) and (most importantly!) it also breaks down the your day's nutrition into the macro nutrient counts (protein, carb and fat %'s). While you could follow the Portion Charts, it would be extremely difficult to make proper substitutions for each category, and especially difficult to maintain it for a full 90 days. So we're going to focus on the macro nutrient counts. 

Following the macro nutrient counts is much easier than it sounds. There are so many nutrition tracking apps out there. All you do is enter or scan your food, and it tells you everything you need to know. We used the myfitnesspal app. (My user name is JulieJeep. Feel free to add me!) You can adjust your daily calorie goals on myfitnesspal from the app, but to adjust the macro %'s you need to log in from a computer. Just go to www.myfitnesspal.com and once you're logged in go to Goals then Change Goals and select Custom. From there you can adjust your daily % goals for protein, carbs and fat, as well as your calories. You can also adjust your daily sodium goals, which will come in handy if you decide to do Body Beast's one week Competition Plan once you finish the Beast phase. (Which we did!) 

So now that you know how to track your nutrition, here's how to veganize the supplements! There are a few different Body Beast supplements; Hardcore Base Shake, Fuel Shot, MAX Creatine and Super Suma. Only the MAX Creatine supplement is vegan, so this is what we used to create the others. I should also add that we continued to use vegan Shakeology daily while doing Body Beast. 

I hope that helped break down each individual supplement and how to make a vegan version. Here's how we put it all together to make the Body Beast Post Workout Drink!

If you've been thinking of doing a muscle building program like Body Beast, but aren't sure where to start as a vegan, or would just like to connect with other like minded people, sign up for our free coaching here and we'll get you added to our facebook accountability group! Trust us, we know what it's like to be a vegan surrounded by a bunch of non-vegans in the fitness world. We'll help you get through it! 

It's that time of year again... Pumpkin EVERYTHING!!! The only problem with that is... it ends up making you look like a pumpkin! :0 

Don't spend this winter hiding behind big sweaters. Make this the winter you TAKE CONTROL of your nutrition, even through the holidays! I know this time of year is busy, but that doesn't mean you have to sit back and let your health spin out of control. 

Nothing is faster or quicker (or healthier!) to make and eat than a green smoothie, so I'm going to be offering a 15-day green smoothie challenge to help you stay on track! All you'l need to do is replace one meal a day with a green smoothie made with Shakeology (the meal replacement I use every day). There are 5 delicious flavors to choose from. You can do any workout you like (or none if you're not at that point in your journey yet). I'll be providing more than enough recipes and support along the way! 

How amazing are you going to feel when you don't have to worry about losing your "winter weight" in the spring!?!?!

And a BONUS... I usually cap my groups at a certain # to keep them small, but this one is going to be open to EVERYONE! So grab your friends and let's get healthy this fall!!! And since each bag of Shakeology comes with a 30-day supply, this would also be a great time to inspire a friend and split the bag, but beware, once you try Shakeology, you won't want to share it with anyone! 

The 15-day green smoothie challenge officially kicks off Oct. 19th, so you only have until this Saturday, Oct. 12th to order your Shakeology so you have it in time! (And my little secret, be sure to choose the "auto ship" option when you order. That way you'll get free shipping and you can cancel it at any time!) 

Just finished up Day 1 of Shaun T's new workout Focus T25 and I'm just going to say this right now... for those of you who think you can't get a killer workout at home in only 25 minutes, you've just met your match! T25 is only 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week and is broken into two standard phases, alpha and beta, which both are 5 weeks long, and a third bonus phase called gamma. 

So I'm not "officially" starting T25 until the rest of my challenge group starts it on July 8th, but I was able to get my hands on it last week at Coach Summit before it was released to the public and I couldn't wait any longer to see what it was like! So I caved, and now I can say that Day 1 of T25 is done! 

This program was released at the perfect time, too. Who has time to workout in the summer!? Not me! But I CAN find 25 minutes a day! What I love about this workout so far, besides the time of the workouts, is that anyone can do it. There is a "modifier" in each workout showing you how to do the moves low impact, but you can still attempt to follow along with the others in the program if you're more fit. (Trust me, I tried, but I had my hands on my knees gasping for air a few times!) 

I'm also not typically a heavy sweater when working out so I was amazed when I was dripping with sweat by the end of the 25 minutes, and I looked over and Scott was the same. After just the first two minutes my calves were on fire, it took four minutes for my quads to be on fire, and I was sweating so much that I only worked out in my shorts and sports bra and I swear I could see my abs developing right before my eyes!

T25 was just released to the pubic two days ago, and spots are filling up FAST in our T25 challenge group that starts July 8th. If you want to join, make sure you reserve your spot ASAP! 

"Ain't nobody got time for that!" is no longer an excuse! 

Still trying to get in shape for summer? There's still time! You'll be bikini ready in no time with these AMAZING Summer Sizzler sales! These are available for a VERY limited time only, and once they're gone, THEY'RE GONE!

Because of these incredible deals, we'll be running another Ultimate Reset Challenge Group for the entire month of June. The Ultimate Reset is an amazing nutrition program that takes you through 21 days of clean eating and natural supplements to help your body naturally detox, and to help you learn how to eat properly. It's been so effective at helping people reduce their weight, cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels that it's even been published in a medical journal. 

Not sure what a Challenge Group is? A Challenge Group is a free, private, facebook group made up of other people doing the same workout or nutrition program as yourself. It's a place to go for support, motivation and any questions you may have. People who are in Challenge Groups are 20% more likely to stick to a program (and I actually believe that number is a lot higher!) and they also experience better results! 

And, it just keeps getting better! For the ENTIRE month of June, Les Mills Combat Challenge Packs are on sale for $20 off. That gets you one month of Shakeology (the healthiest meal of the day!), one month of Club Membership (which gives you access to Eat Smart, an online nutrition planner), the Les Mills Combat workout and FREE shipping! That's a total savings of over $70 if you were to buy everything separately!

Make this the summer you vow to ditch the cover-up at the beach! Please email us asap if you have any questions. These deals are going to go fast!

I'm so excited to share this! Yesterday, I log on to teambeachbody.com to log my workout and what do I see??? This!!!

See that guy on the right? The one right next to the Shakeology fudge bars... the one who now has energy for his kids??? Well..... he just won $500 for his transformation! So you're thinking, "OK, good for him, what does that have to do with me and why am I so excited?" Here's why.... Herb was in my very first challenge group ever! (Proud Mamma!) The funny thing is, Herb had never planned on being in my challenge group. You see, his wife came home one day and said, "I'm going to do Power 90 and I want you to do it with me", so they ordered a Challenge Pack and got to work!

Herb pushed play every day and made NO excuses. He has 3 young boys (including a set of twins), he works full time, he's in a band... he even travels to China for work and brought his DVD's and resistance bands with him when he traveled! Another key factor in his transformation was his diet. He started drinking Shakeology every day and quit his night time ice cream binges, which also helped lower his cholesterol. 

He also credits his transformation with the support and motivation he got from being in my private facebook Challenge Group, saying he felt "naughty" if he didn't post his daily workout in the group. 

You can check out the entire Beachbody article on Herb's transformation here.

If you're ready to take control of your health and would like to be in one of my facebook Challenge Groups please let me know! I have one ongoing group that you can be added to at any time, and I also run program-specific groups, too (where everyone in the group starts the same program on the same day). I can even start challenge groups for groups of friends, family or coworkers for those interested. 

So, who's going to be the next $500 Beachbody Challenge winner???

Q: Are you eating real food?
A: Yes! This is not a cleanse where you are only drinking cayenne pepper and maple syrup and it's not a juice fast. You will be eating a whole-food, mostly plant-based, clean eating diet. The recipes in the Ultimate Reset are simple, yet delicious! Don't believe me? Just check out these actual pictures I took of the food I ate when I did the Reset!

Q: Will I be hungry while doing the Reset?
A: The portions are surprisingly larger than than you would expect for a cleanse, but you are not leaving each meal feeling full or stuffed. This may be a new feeling to you if you're used to eating to maximum capacity. For me, it made me realize what true hunger felt like. It also made me realize how often I eat without thought and how much I ate when I was bored, tired and "just because". I physically had enough food, but mentally it took some getting used to. 

Q: Is the food expensive?
A: Yes and No. The first week a good portion of the shopping list is made up of staples; olive, sesame and coconut oils, Bragg's liquid amino acids, miso, three different vinegars, quinoa, millet, rice cereal, spices, nuts, seeds, etc. These are things that you need for the Reset, but that will also last you much longer than the 21 days and become staples in your cupboard. I was fortunate enough to have a few of them on hand already, but if you don't have any to start they can quickly add up. After the first week, the shopping lists are mostly fresh fruit and vegetables, so it's not as bad. Don't forget, during the Reset you're also not going to be going out to dinner, picking up fast food for lunch, stopping for happy hour drinks, or buying your usual coffee or latte in the mornings. Those are things that add up quickly so you may find you are actually saving money doing the Reset. But seriously, even if it is more expensive, it's for your HEALTH so it's TOTALLY worth it!

Q: What kind of results can I expect?
A: Everyone's results are going to be different, but common results of the Ultimate Reset are weight loss, increased energy, decreased cholesterol and blood pressure, decrease in cellulite, better digestion, improved sleep patterns, improved allergies, clearer skin, better mental clarity, more stable blood sugar levels, stronger immune system and decreased inflammation and arthritis. The Ultimate Reset will soon be cited in a peer-reviewed medical journal for it's efficacy in addressing cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. Here are my personal results from the Ultimate Reset. 

Q: Can I have caffeine or smoke while doing the Ultimate Reset?
A: No. The point of the Reset is to rid your body of toxins, so ingesting toxins while doing the Reset would be counterproductive. During the Reset you are aiming to bring your body back to an alkaline state and coffee is very acidic. You may experience a headache for the first few days if you are used to drinking coffee, but by the end of the 21 days you will find that you no longer need the caffeine boost and that your energy levels are actually higher without it.

Q: Can I workout while on the Reset?
A: No. While on the Reset you want to give your body a break to let it rest and repair itself from the inside out. Exercise causes a break down of muscles and a build up of lactic acid. If you workout while on the Reset your body will be spending it's time repairing tissue and flushing out lactic acid instead of healing and repairing itself.

Q: I'm already vegan, but I see the first week of the Reset has meat and dairy. Can I make substitutions? 
A: Yes! Once you purchase the Ultimate Reset you can log on to www.ultimatereset.com and there you will find the vegan meal plan for week 1 of the Reset. Weeks 2 and 3 are already vegan so there is no need to adjust either of those weeks. Click here for the updated vegan shopping list for week 1. I was vegan prior to doing the Reset so I can personally help you make the necessary adjustments during the first week.

Q: Can I make my meals in advance?
A: Yes. I made most of my meals the night before. That way when I woke up in the morning I just had to grab my food and head to work. This planning ahead was the key to my success with the Ultimate Reset. 

Q: What are in the supplements?
A: During the Reset you will be taking 6 supplements; Mineralize, Oxygenize, Optimize, Alkalinize, Detox and Revitalize. Some you will be taking for the entire 21 days, some for just one phase of the Reset.

• Mineralize is pure crystal salt and contains up to 84 natural minerals and elements. It is added to your drinking water every day during the Reset.
  
• Oxygenize is a source of supplemental oxygen. It comes in a dropper bottle and is taken 3 times a day before meals for the entire cleanse. 
  
• Optimize is a blend of enzymes that you take 3 times a day before meals for every phase of the Reset.
  
• Alkalinize is a greens powder that helps bring your body back to a healthy pH. It is mixed with water and drank once a day every day of the Reset.
  
• Detox is a mix of fiber-rich seeds, herbs and bentonite clay which is used to draw toxins out of the colon. It is mixed with water and taken three times daily during Phase 2.
  
• Revitalize is a probiotic and prebiotic which is taken 3 times daily before meals during the last phase of the Reset.
  

Q: Do I continue taking supplements after the Reset?
A: Whether you decide to continue with the supplements after the Reset is up to you. You may decide to continue taking just one supplement, all six, or any combo of them. Each supplement has dosage instructions for both during the Reset and for maintenance. 

Q: Does the Ultimate Reset come with support?
A: Yes! I will be there to guide you along the way and answer any questions. I will also add you to a facebook group with other people who are also doing the Reset. You will not be doing this alone! 

Q: What do I do before and after the Reset?
A: Before the Reset you should start cutting back on your use of coffee, alcohol and processed foods. This will make the transition into the Reset easier. After the Reset you will want to slowly start reintroducing foods back into your diet over the course of the next few weeks, starting with grains the first week, beans the second week, and animal products the third and fourth weeks, if you decide to add them back in at all.

Q: Can I drink Shakeology while on the Reset?
A: Only vegan Shakeology can be used while on the Reset and only using these approved recipes. 

• Phase 1: 1 scoop in place of breakfast
  
• Phase 2: 1/2 scoop in place of breakfast
  
• Phase 3: 1/2 scoop in place of snack

Personally, I didn't use Shakeology during the Reset. While Shakeology is minimally processed and considered a raw food, I wanted to eat as many whole foods as possible during the cleanse. I added vegan Shakeology back into my diet the first day post-Reset. Whether you chose to use Shakeology during your Reset or not is your personal choice.

Q: It's Day 12 and I just ate the Mediterranean Roasted Beets. Is my pee supposed to be this color?
A: Yes! I grew up eating canned beets, but I remember the first time I ever ate them fresh. The first thing I did was run to the computer and Google "beet pee". And just wait till Day 14. Beet poo.

Goals during and after the Ultimate Reset:

• Eat as many raw, fresh, chemical-free, unprocessed foods as possible
• Breathe as much fresh air as you can
• Drink plenty of good-quality water
• Chew your food thoroughly
• Remove or reduce stress from all the areas of your life that you can
• Get out into nature
• Make healthy choices a habit
• Find time to do what you love
• Laugh more
• Give thanks

Day 19! First off I just want to say how big of a deal this is. You see, two February's ago Scott and I did a 21-day cleanse. It was similar to the Ultimate Reset in that it focused on clean eating, whole foods and no or limited gluten, dairy and meat. It also recommended the use of probiotics and digestive enzymes. Unlike the Ultimate Reset, it didn't come with any of the supplements (which ended up costing over one hundred dollars more) and it only had meal "suggestions" and no detailed meal plan, which let to poor portion control. 

One of the key things it also lacked was the support. I'm not going to lie, there are days I didn't feel like doing the cleanse anymore. I felt great, I just didn't feel like prepping the meals and it really put a damper on my weekend plans. Knowing that I had an online support group there for me with people all over the country going through the same things I was really helped keep me on track. I also have been posting my photos and updates on my personal facebook page and my Henderson Fitness fan page. Knowing that others were watching what I was doing and commenting on my posts has made a big difference, too. So to all my online followers, "Thank you! You've helped keep me motivated and you didn't even know it!"

My results were another big difference. So far with the Ultimate Reset I have lost 6.4 lbs and 2.5% body fat after the first 2 weeks. My first cleanse? I lost maybe 2 or 3 lbs and only made it to Day 18 before Scott and I went to Pizza Plant for vegan pizza and beer. So ya, Day 19 (and all the support!) is a big deal! 

I'm happy to say that this weekend went smoother than last. I surprised Scott with LL Cool J tickets Saturday night (his first rap concert!) and we went to the annual Clarence Labor Day fair Sunday night. Between all the smoke at the concert and the dust at the fair I have done nothing but sneeze these last 2 days. This is by far the worst I have felt on the Ultimate Reset and ironically it has nothing to do with the cleanse at all. We also had a few people come out for a group run on Sunday morning, including a first time runner! Since I can't workout while on the cleanse I followed behind everyone on roller blades. 

I can't believe I only have 2 more days of the cleanse left! I'm excited to add Shakeology back into my diet.  I could have had vegan Shakeology for some of the snacks during the Reset, but I tried to eat as few snacks as possible. I'm also looking forward to working out again. In fact, we just ordered our new program tonight and we're planning on starting it in about 3 weeks.... Body Beast!

There's also still time to join our new Challenge Group starting September 10th. You'll be added to a private facebook group with about 10 others to help keep you motivated (support rocks!). After 90 days the person with the best transformation will win $100! The only requirement is that you're using a Beachbody program. Shakeology is not required, but will help with your results. If you already have a fitness program, great! If not, you can purchase a Challenge Pack which comes with one month of Shakeology and will save you a bunch of money. Send us a message if you want in! If you're not ready for this Challenge, we have an ongoing group we can add you to at any time for the support.