The Best Shoe for Every Workout

Odds are that you own more than one outfit; after all, you’d never wear a suit and tie to a tailgate, or a T-shirt and jeans to an important client meeting. But we’re also willing to bet that you have only one pair of shoes in your gym bag. Here’s why that’s a problem: What you put on your feet can determine how fast you see results, and when it comes to training, one size doesn’t fit all. To maximize your performance and optimize your gains, you need to match your shoes to your workout.

Pick the Right Tool for the Job

If you’re doing Body Beast in your living room, you probably don’t want a pair of high-top basketball shoes, which can restrict ankle mobility and reduce range of motion. Likewise, you won’t do yourself any favors by wearing running shoes (their elevated heels can sap power and strength). Instead, invest in a pair of flatter-soled athletic shoes.

“For Beachbody programs, court shoes are best because they’re made to support multi-directional movement, whereas running shoes are only designed for moving forward,” says Beachbody Vice President of Fitness and Nutrition Steve Edwards. “Cross-training shoes also work well.”

Ideally, you’ll have a different pair of shoes for each type of exercise you do (basketball, running, strength training, etc.). “But unless you have an injury, you should never allow a lack of the ‘right’ shoes to prevent you from working out,” Edwards says. Bottom line: If you don’t have enough dough to expand your training shoe quiver, sweat in whatever you have.

Bare Your Sole

Another option: Go barefoot. “First-time exercisers should generally wear shoes, but once your feet become strong, it can make sense to train barefoot, especially if you’re doing non-explosive training,” says Edwards.

Here’s why: The soles of your feet are packed with microscopic sensors called “proprioceptors,” which provide feedback about joint angle, muscle length and tension, and body position and alignment. Optimizing that feedback by putting your feet in direct contact with the ground can boost muscle activation, mobility, and coordination, ultimately leading to greater gains in strength, stamina, and performance. “Barefoot training became popular on the heels of the exact opposite craze, in which people were wearing over-supportive shoes that actually made their feet weaker,” says Edwards.

If you’ve never trained barefoot before, begin with low-intensity activities to help your muscles, joints, and connective tissues warm up to the idea. “Yoga and Pilates are good places to start,” says Edwards, adding that as your feet become stronger, you can build up to more demanding exercises and workouts. “While your feet can get strong enough to handle plyometric (ballistic) training, I would rarely recommend doing it barefoot.” The increased risk of injury isn’t worth the potential gains.

Know Your Tread Life

The life cycle of running shoes depends on a number of factors, including workout intensity and frequency, as well as gait and body type. But as a general rule, you should replace them every six months or 500 miles, whichever comes first. Wait any longer, and your risk of knee and ankle injuries increases as your shoes’ shock absorption and stability control deteriorate beyond safe levels.

As for indoor training shoes, pay close attention to your tread. Over time, the rubber on the bottom of your outsoles — where your shoes make contact with the ground — will wear away much like the treads on your car’s tires. That can ultimately translate into reduced traction and stability, and an increased risk of injury. “Flimsy shoes will also blow apart on the sides, especially in programs like P90X and INSANITY MAX:30, which have a ton of explosive lateral movements,” says Edwards. Investing a bit more money in footwear upfront can lead to a stronger, fitter body down the road.

Need some help getting back in shape? Join our next challenge group and get 24/7 personal coaching and support, meal planning ideas and recipes, fitness tips and advice and more. Best of all, it's just a fun way to meet some new friends, get fit and stay that way!

Ready to join us:

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

Brenda

The Ultimate 21 Day Fix Tool Kit!

Bored with 21 Day Fix fitness routine? If you love country music and 21 Day Fix meal planning, you'll love Country Heat! Country Heat is an all new country inspired dance workout by Autumn Calabrese. The program follows the same 21 Day Fix meal planning system.

Join our next Country Heat Dance Party right from the comfort of your own home!

The 21 Day Fix fitness and nutrition program is the easiest way to lose weight and gain strength - the healthy way! It's the #1 selling fitness program in America and it works, but let's be honest, it's not a quick fix - if you want results that last, you have to work for it. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. It does not end at day 21. Once you get used to eating whole, natural foods each day and making fitness a part of your everyday life, you will get results and you will not fail!

If you've reached this page it's most likely because you're curious about the program and probably ready to give it a try. But if you're thinking that it seems complicated or overwhelming - I promise you it is not! I've been using the program for over a year and I have learned lots of tips and tricks to help make it an easy transition for you. This page is a good place to start. Download and use these printable tools to make meal planning easier than ever!

Interested in another Beachbody program like Cize, Focus T25, P90X or Insanity? I can show you how to incorporate the 21 Day Fix eating plan with the fitness program of your choice. Beachbody has over 30 fitness programs to choose from and I'm glad to help you find one that you will look forward to completing each day.

Check out these tips on 21 Day Fix Meal Planning Made Easy!

Need help? Join my next 21 Day Fix/ Fix Extreme challenge group and I'll walk you through the system step-by-step. You will not fail! Ready to give it a try? CLICK HERE to answer a few questions to tell me a little more about yourself and your goals.

The Ultimate 21 Day Fix Tool Kit!

1. Use this measurement tracker to keep track of your progress. Remember, success isn't always measured on the scale!

2. Wondering how many containers you can use each day? You can follow the formula in this article about container basics to get an exact caloric target or just use this simple quick-start guide for a good estimate.

3. Print a bunch of these 21 Day Fix meal planners out and start calculating some of your favorite recipes. You'll be surprised to see how easy it is to make some of your favorite meals Fix approved. Need help converting a recipe to FIX? Email me a copy of the recipe and I'll convert it for you. brendalajay@gmail.com

4. Here is the latest 21 Day Fix food list from Autumn Calabrese. Lots of good choices here, so print it out and keep it on hand when you visit the grocery store.

5. Never forget a thing with this DIY grocery list. Print it and fill in all the ingredients you need to prepare your meals for the week.

6. The piece de resistance.... a weekly menu planner in Excel format that you can edit right on your desktop!!! Download this file and fill in all your meals and snacks for the week. Keep a folder on your computer to collect each meal plan. That way you can easily go back and repeat the ones that you liked best. Need help? Email me for some sample meal plans to try brendalajay@gmail.com

Are you ready to give the 21 Day Fix a try but are feeling overwhelmed? Join us this month for the Ultimate 21 Day Fix Boot Camp for Beginners. We'll take you step-by-step through the workouts, meal planning and preparation and we'll have a lot of fun doing it!Joining is easy, just fill out this form to get started:

Use Wufoo integrations and get your data to your favorite apps.

Brenda

21 Day Fix - How do I know how many containers I am allowed each day?

The #1 question I get asked about 21 Day Fix is How do I figure out how many containers I can use each day? Like everything with 21 Day Fix, it's easy. Here's the whole scientific, mathematical formula if you want to get technical. Or you can just skip to the bottom of the paragraph and use the cheat sheet. Here's the thing - when you're starting the program for the first time, don't get stressed out by counting containers. If you make a mistake and eat an extra purple, it's not going to kill you! It won't even wreck diet, just keep going. Don't try and make up for it tomorrow by having one less purple. Just stick to the count the best that you can and KEEP GOING! You will get used to it and eventually not even need to rely on the containers at all. Healthy eating will become automatic. That's your goal. You've got this!

Here's the scientific, mathematical formula:

Calculate Your Calorie Level and Daily Container Count

Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain weight, or gain weight, calculating your proper daily calorie goal is essential to reaching your goals. Here’s how:

1. Multiply your current weight in pounds x 11. This number is your Caloric Baseline.
2. Add 400 (The Fix Calorie Burn) to your Caloric Baseline. The resulting number represents your Caloric Needs to maintain your weight.
3. Subtract 750 (the caloric deficit) from your Caloric Needs. This number is the Caloric Target you should eat to lose weight.

Using your 21 Day Fix Eating Plan Guide, look up the corresponding container count on page 15. Your calorie bracket will determine how many containers of each color you should eat each day.

Here’s an example using a 150-pound person who would like to lose weight.
1. 150 x 11 = 1650 (Caloric Baseline)
2. 1650 + 400 = 2050 (Caloric Needs to maintain weight)
3. 2050 – 750 =  1300 (Caloric Target to lose weight)

Note: If your Caloric Target is less than 1,200, round up to 1,200. If it’s more than 2,300, round down to 2,300. If you are trying to gain weight, add 750 instead of subtracting 750.

Don't feel like doing the math?
Use this cheat sheet!

Now some helpful tips to get you off to a good start!

Write Down A Sample Day of Meals

Now it’s time to start planning. Go to the food lists on pages 24-39 of the 21 Day Fix meal planning guide that was included with your fitness program. Read through the choices and mark down some of your favorites under every container. Then, using this meal planner, plan a sample day. Think about what types of food you would like to have at each meal and include some of your favorite healthy snacks. Don’t be afraid to keep it simple.

Before you move on to the next step, think about what you would like to eat for the next 3-5 days. Do you want to eat the same thing for breakfast each day, or do you want to switch it up? What about your snacks, lunches, and dinners? Do you have time to cook meals, or would you prefer to eat simply? Write down the variations you’d like, which “free foods” you’d like to add (page 37) and any treats you’d like to substitute for a yellow or orange container this week (page 38 & 39).

Make a Grocery List

Set yourself up for success by writing out your grocery list and sticking to it. Base your list on the foods you chose for the next 3-5 days. It’s okay to buy a surplus of these foods so that you have a little extra on hand, but try to stick to the amounts that match your calorie level. Remember that one green container holds about 1 cup or more of vegetables, and that a serving of protein is about 4 ounces (before cooking). If you plan to eat 4 red containers of boneless, skinless chicken breast over the next few days, you would buy 1 pound of chicken. Click the image below to download your Fix-friendly grocery list.

10 Time-Saving Tips

Buy pre-cooked chicken breast or fish from the deli section.
Choose canned tuna for quick meals.
Buy pre-cut vegetables. (Just make sure nothing is added to it!)
Hard-boil several eggs at once for quick, high-protein snacks or to add to salads. Here are our tips on how to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs.
Bake all of your sweet potatoes at once.
Pre-cook enough quinoa or brown rice for the week.
Chop all carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, etc. at once for healthy snacks and ready toppings for salads.
Mornings can be hectic. Have your breakfast ready to go by prepping a large batch of oatmeal or these simple egg cups.
Stock up on berries or fruits that don’t need to be cut like apples, oranges, and bananas.
Raw, unsalted nuts make a great, portable snack.

The best tip of all:

Join an online challenge group! It's the best way to get kickstart your fitness journey. Simply choose the fitness program you like best - like 21 Day Fix, PiYo, T25 P90X, Cize, Insanity and more! Then workout at home, at your own pace. Check in with us through a closed Facebook group throughout the day to get motivation and encouragement from your coach and fellow team members. You'll also find helpful tips and advice, recipes, games and special offers. It's a fun way to keep one another accountable and celebrate in each other's successes. Ready to join? Fill out this request form. It will tell me a little more about you and your goals so I can help direct you to a fitness program that best suites your own personal needs.

Are you ready to give the 21 Day Fix a try but are feeling overwhelmed? Join us this month for the Ultimate 21 Day Fix Boot Camp for Beginners. We'll take you step-by-step through the workouts, meal planning and preparation and we'll have a lot of fun doing it!Joining is easy, just fill out this form to get started:

Fill out my online form.

Online contact and registration forms from Wufoo.

Brenda

How to cook the perfect hard-boiled egg!

by Rebecca Swanner for the Beachbody blog

Ah, the wonderful, incredible egg. The whites are full of protein and the yolks are high in B vitamins, omega-3s and contain all 9 essential amino acid. Not bad for about 78 calories per large egg!

I love hard-boiled eggs. Plain, or (as I prefer), with just a touch of salt and pepper, they make a great snack. And, they’re wonderful in salads! But, making them…that’s another story. For years, I dreaded making them. I especially dreaded peeling them. At best, by the time I was done, the egg would look like it had been gnawed on. At worst, it I’d lose almost half the egg in the peeling process. To make matters worse, the yolks were grey-green about half the time and stunk of sulfur.

So, I decided to investigate just how to perfectly cook (and peel) a hard-boiled egg.

Step 1: Cooking the Eggs

In the process, I discovered that everyone has their own method! After listening to friends and reading countless articles (thank yous to Julia Child, The Kitchn, Serious Eats, Simply Recipes, and all of my foodie friends who offered their own suggestions), I came up with 5 methods to test. I used a mix of brown and white large eggs that I bought at the supermarket and used a 2-quart saucepan and a gas stove. Here are the results:

Method 1

Place eggs in saucepan. Fill pan with cold water until eggs are covered by 1″. (I actually measured this using a ruler. This is science, after all.) Heat water over high heat until it is at a full rolling boil. Remove pan immediately from heat, cover with lid, and leave for 10-18 minutes. When time is up, carefully strain the hot water into sink and place eggs directly into a bowl of ice water. (The water shouldn’t just be cold. It needs to be ice cold. I used a large metal mixing bowl, filled it halfway with cold water, and put a large chunk of ice into the bowl to accomplish this.) Do all of this as quickly as you can safely as the idea is to “shock” the eggs. Let the eggs sit in the ice water for at least 15 minutes before peeling.
Results: This was easy, practically foolproof, and produced delicious eggs. The eggs cooked for 10 minutes had soft, flavorful yolks. The eggs that cooked for 12 minutes and I found the yolks a bit chalky for my taste, but still edible. The eggs that cooked for 15 minutes were way too chalky-tasting for me. But, no grey-green color and nothing tasted of sulfur.

Method 2

Place eggs in saucepan. Fill pan with cold water until eggs are covered by 1″. Heat water over medium heat until it is at a full rolling boil. Let eggs cook for 15 seconds, then remove pan from heat, cover with lid, and leave for 20 minutes. When time is up, carefully strain out the hot water and replace it with cold water. Let the eggs sit for one minute in the cold water. Peel.
Results: The eggs had a bit of a sulfuric smell, but weren’t gray-green and the yolks tasted slightly less chalky than the 12 or 15-minute eggs from method 1.

Method 3

Place eggs on the counter for 20 minutes. Then put them in saucepan. Fill pan with cold water until eggs are covered by 1″. Heat water over medium heat until it is at a full rolling boil. Immediately remove pan from heat, cover with lid, and leave for 10 minutes. When time is up, carefully strain out the hot water and place the eggs in ice water. Leave them for at least 15 minutes before peeling.
Results: The yolks were a little on the done side, but the flavor was good.

Method 4

Fill pan with hot water and bring to a full rolling boil. Carefully submerge the eggs into the hot water. Let the eggs boil for 30 seconds, then drop the heat to a very low simmer and let the eggs cook for 11 minutes (don’t cover the pan). When time is up, carefully strain out the hot water, and place the eggs in the ice water. Leave them for at least 15 minutes before peeling.
Results: The egg didn’t look completely done. but were very rich in flavor. If I were going to use this method, I’d leave them for 12 or 13 minutes instead of 11.

Method 5

This is the Julia Child method. It’s also the most complicated. Place eggs in saucepan. Fill pan with cold water until eggs are covered by 1″. Heat water over high heat until it is at a full rolling boil. Immediately remove pan from heat, cover with lid, and leave for 17 minutes. When time is up, carefully strain out the hot water into another pan and put eggs in ice water. Leave them in the water for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, return the hot water to the original pan and put it on the stove over high heat. After the 2 minutes have passed, put the eggs back in the pan. When the water comes back to a full rolling boil, let the eggs cook for 10 seconds. Remove the eggs from the pan, place them back in the ice water and leave them for 15-20 minutes before peeling.
Results: This egg yolk was so dried out! I didn’t like it at all.
You might notice that I didn’t say anything about the egg whites. That’s because the egg whites came out perfectly for all of the different methods. I did find that the eggs cooked in cold water (which was all but method 4) had a more tender, evenly-cooked egg white and that the egg white in method 4 felt a little soft.


So, what was my favorite method? I have to go with method 1. It was simple, the eggs were tasty…what’s not to love?

Here’s the thing about eggs. Everyone likes theirs done a little differently. What’s perfect to me might be over (or under) done to you. Simple Recipes recommends sacrificing one egg of the batch to see if it’s done enough to your liking. Just carefully spoon it out, dunk it in the ice water until you can peel it, and see if it’s done enough. If it’s not, just leave them a minute or two more. The only trouble with this method is that the eggs continue to cook so if that egg was perfectly done, all your other eggs will be a little more done than this one. But, you’ll at least know where to stop the timer next time.

Step 2: Peeling the Eggs

How to cook and peel hard boiled eggs peeling

Now, about the peeling. I was shocked to discover that all 5 of these methods produced eggs that were easy to peel. Which makes me think some of this might come down to the peeling method. Here are a few tips that seemed to help make peeling the hard-boiled eggs a success:

• Make sure the ice water is super cold.
• Leave the eggs in the ice water for at least 15 minutes. I didn’t find it necessary to crack them before they went into the water.
• Gently tap the egg on a flat surface (I used my kitchen counter) when you’re ready to peel it. Create lots of little cracks all over the egg.
• Do not try to create these cracks by rolling the egg around in your hand. I tried this once. It resulted in a partially squashed egg that stuck to its shell.
• Peel your eggs under cold running water. It doesn’t have to be on full blast, just a little bit. I placed a mesh strainer in the bottom of my sink to catch all the egg shells.

A few more good things to know:

1. Older eggs are generally easier to peel than fresh eggs because as an egg ages, its pH rises and it begins to shrink away from its shell. This creates an air pocket between the egg white and the egg shell.
2. If you’re using super-fresh eggs (eggs bought from a farmer or if you’re using eggs from your own chickens), it’s often recommended that you let them sit for 10 days before boiling them. If you don’t want to wait, you might want to consider steaming them (instead of boiling them). Pour an inch of water into a pot, insert a steam basket and bring the water to a full boil. Place the eggs in the basket, cover, and let them steam for 15 minutes. This should make them easier to peel.
3. If you’re really struggling with peeling, gently crack them all over and then put them back in a bowl of cool water for 15 minutes.

Brenda

21 Day Fix - All your questions answered

Everything you ever wanted to know about 21 Day Fix!

If you haven’t heard of 21 Day Fix, in a nutshell it’s simple fitness and simple eating that gives you fast results! You won’t be counting calories with The Fix. Instead, you’ll learn how to put together healthy and delicious meals while controlling your portions. What you learn with this program doesn’t end in 21 days either. This method of prepping and portioning your food is something you’ll continue with for the rest of your life. And then there are the workouts, which are both simple, yet challenging—so it caters to all fitness levels. Who doesn’t want to be building muscle and blasting fat all at the same time?

It's not another diet. In fact, it's EXACTLY the opposite. 21 Day Fix lets you EAT! Only in just the right portions, so you don't feel miserable and deprived - but you CAN finally start losing weight.

What's the secret? The seven exclusive containers. Each one is color-coded for a different kind of food, and pre-measured for the precise portion. You'll never have to "eyeball" your measurements again—if it fits in the container, you can eat it!

Combine this eating plan with one 30-minute workout a day. That's all. It's that simple!

You don't have to eat directly from the containers.

Create delicious meals by tossing all your ingredients into a bowl to make a healthy and filling pasta or salad—just like this one!

What do you get with 21 Day Fix?

Everything you need to lose weight. Simply and quickly.

Simple 30 Minute Workouts

6 easy-to-follow workouts on 2 DVDs

The workouts are perfect for people on the go, busy moms and beginners. Anyone can do these workouts. They are a mix of cardio, strength and flexibility routines that last a total of 30 minutes. They don't require a lot of equipment or space either. Each workout has modified moves for beginners or people with limited mobility.

NEW!

101 Family Favorite Recipes, all 21 Day Fix approved!

Enjoy the foods you love and still lose weight with the FIXATE™ cookbook, Autumn Calabrese's very own collection of 101 delicious, portion-controlled recipes designed to work with the 21 Day Fix food containers.

FAQ's:

What do you need besides the workouts?

Just some 3-8 lb weights or resistance bands, a towel and water bottle. A yoga mat is good to have but not necessary.

What kinds of food can I eat on the 21 Day Fix meal plan?

Good, healthy clean food! For best results, avoid or eliminate all processed and fast foods. Remember this is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Eat clean and enjoy lasting results and lifelong benefits.

Are you allowed any treats?

Absolutely! Enjoy dessert, or a treat like wine or chocolate up to 3 times a week. Any nutrition plan that includes wine and chocolate is the plan for me!

Can I have a cheat meal?

Sure, just don't over indulge. Enjoy a cheat meal a couple of times a week, just don't overdo it! 21 Day Fix is all about living a balanced, healthy lifestyle. So eat the foods you love just aim to portion them out according to the meal plan. Want some pizza and beer on Friday night? Go for it...just get back on track and stay on track. That's why being part of a challenge group is so important fro accountability and support.

Meal planning sounds really complicated, can anyone do it?

Absolutely. It just takes some getting used to. Your breaking old habits and creating new healthy ones. The program comes with a lot of useful meal planning tools and your coach can provide you with even more. Here's a sample meal plan. It really is very simple once you get the hang of it. As your coach, I can give you grocery lists, recipes, sample meal plans to help you get started.

Do you have to drink Shakeology?

No. But it definitely makes a difference. Shakeology really is the healthiest meal of the day. You never have to worry if you're getting enough vitamins and minerals. That one daily shake packs a powerful punch! It's loaded with vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, antioxidants, and super foods. It not only helps curb your appetite by keeping you full for 3 hours, but it is so convenient! I usually recommend drinking one for breakfast. That's the most important meal of the day and yet the one we tend to skip the most. You can shake it up in seconds and take it to go with you. Google Shakeology and you'll find all kinds of tasty recipes.

What is 21 Day Fix?

21 Day Fix is a nutrition and fitness program that makes losing weight so simple, anyone can do it. Easy-to-follow portion control and 30-minute workouts take the guesswork out of losing weight to help you see results fast—up to 15 pounds in just 21 days! Whether you want to lose a few pounds before your next vacation or jump-start a bigger weight-loss goal, 21 Day Fix is the program for you. It’s simple, it’s fast, and it works. If you’re ready to get serious, 21 Day Fix can help you lose the weight.

Why is 21 Day Fix effective?

Because it’s so simple! You don’t have to count calories, points, or log your food into diet software. With 21 Day Fix, everything is laid out for you. All you have to do is use the specially designed portion-control containers and do one 30-minute workout per day. Commit to it for 21 days, and you’re going to love your results.

What makes 21 Day Fix unique?

It’s the only fitness and nutrition program that combines portion-control containers and world-class workouts. By placing equal emphasis on fitness and healthy portion control, 21 Day Fix can help anyone lose weight—and keep it off—in a way that’s simple and sustainable. Whether you want to lose 10 pounds or 100 pounds, you can do it with this program.

Who is Autumn Calabrese?

Autumn Calabrese is a celebrity fitness trainer, busy mom, and national-level bikini competitor. She came up with the idea of a portion-control container system after watching a client eat an entire 1,300-calorie salad in one sitting because it was “healthy.” Autumn realized that supersized portions were hurting her clients’ weight-loss success because they were eating too much without knowing it. So she developed portion-control containers to help people see how simple it is to eat the right amounts and lose weight easily. And as a single mother, Autumn understands how hard it can be to fit exercise and healthy eating into a jam-packed schedule. So she created short but effective workouts that take only 30 minutes a day, along with a simple eating plan that doesn’t require you to spend hours in the kitchen.

You have 2 choices:

The original 21 Day Fix - Best Seller!

NEW! 21 Day Fix Extreme 

 It takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Just 21 days! Let's fix this and solve all your meal planning  problems. Want to be a hero cook at home? I'll take you through a step-by-step process to help you kick some bad eating habits and get hooked on healthy, tasteful food.

When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, the recipe is simple:

Fitness + Nutrition + Support = Success

Let's break it down...

Fitness: 

Follow the 21 Day Fix fitness program. This workout routine is quick and easy. It's just 30 minutes per day and it's challenging but not too intense and it's not boring either. It's the perfect fitness program for beginners. If you're looking for something a little more advanced, try 21 Day Fix Extreme.

Nutrition:

The 21 Day Fix eating plan is as simple as it gets. The program lays out all the food groups and includes 7 color-coded containers to help you portion your meals. So it takes all the guess work out of meal planning. Bonus - Join my challenge group and I'll provide you with 21 days of meal planning, recipes and grocery lists for FREE!

Support:

Included with the 21 Day Fix, and all Beachbody fitness programs, is both 1:1 personal coaching (from yours truly!) and online support from fitness trainers, nutritionists, other coaches and your peers. Bonus - If you really want to get serious and have lasting results, join an online challenge groups (included in the cost of your fitness program). This is a private online support group made up of other challengers just like you and me who share fitness tips, recipes, motivation and a few laughs too! Statistics show that people who workout regularly with their peers lose more weight and have a much higher success rate than those who try to diet and exercise alone. Together we can do this!!! Enter to win! - Submit your before and after photos and bio to Beachbody and you could walk away a big winner! Beachbody features a success story every week and awards the challenger with a $500 cash prize.

Ready to Fix this?

Email me if you have any questions about the program: brendalajay@gmail.com

Did I answer all your questions and now you're ready to buy? Follow this link to Team Beachbody's storefront:

21 Day Fix Challenge Pack with Shakeology

21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack with Shakeology 

21 Day Fix Essentials - Fitness Program only (no Shakeology) 

21 Day Fix Extreme Program only (no Shakeology)

New online challenge group starting every month!

Fill out this form for more information and I will get back to you within 24 hours.

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.

Brenda

Flourless Brownie Cupcakes

These dark chocolate muffins are delicious and surprisingly healthy. Chicpeas...really??? Hey, don't knock it until you try it. These rich little treats are quick and easy to whip up and taste nothing like a vegetable. And yes, they are Fix approved!

Total Time: 22 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 12 min.
Yield:12 servings, 1 cupcake each

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
3 large eggs
½ cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with muffin papers or coating with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
3. Place chickpeas, eggs, maple syrup, cocoa powder, baking soda, coconut oil, and extract in blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth.
4. Divide batter among 12 prepared muffin cups.
5. Top each muffin with about four chocolate chips; push into batter.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely and enjoy!

Brenda

Fall into Healthy Habits!

Look & Feel Your Best at Any Age!

"When you take charge of your health, good habits become automatic."

October challenge groups are here!

• 10/5/15  90 Days to a New You (90 day fitness & nutrition group) Apply Here
• 10/12/15  Fit for Fall (30 days to look & feel your best for the holiday season) Apply Here

Why sign up for a challenge group?

When you've made up your mind to get in shape and take control of your health, an online challenge group is the perfect way to get off to a good start. Especially is you don't have the time or money to join a gym or hire a personal trainer. 

We follow a guided 3 part plan each and every day: 1. Fitness, 2. Nutrition 3. Support

1. Follow a simple fitness schedule. You select a Beachbody fitness program that meets your specific needs and the workout schedule is included. Just complete the assigned fitness program and feel yourself getting stronger each and every day! 
2. Follow a simple meal plan that shows you what to eat, when you should eat and how much you should eat - no guessing and no counting calories or points. No packaged, frozen or prepared meals to buy - just real, fresh food from your local grocery store. Everyone in the group is required to buy a one month supply of Shakeology, a nutrient dense meal replacement. I would never promote this if I didn't think it was important (*See footnote).
3. Support. The #1 reason why people are able to reach their goals is because of the support. In a challenge group, you'll find 2 kinds of support - support from me, your coach; and support from your peers, other people just like you and me who are working on improving their own health. 

If you are willing to make a commitment to invest in yourself and challenge yourself to your fullest potential, then I will give you all the support you need to make sure you complete the program and reach your goal! No one throws in the towel on my team! A fitness coach is a little different from a personal trainer. As a coach, I'm available 24/7 to help you, not just for an hour each day. Being a Beachbody coach means that I have already gone through the process and been successful. I may not have reached my own personal goal yet, but I have mastered the system and made fitness and nutrition a lifetime commitment; now I help other people with the process. I know how hard it is to get started and I have learned lots of tips and trick that I can share with you to make the process as easy as possible. I will give you recipes, meal plans and grocery lists to make your meal prep as easy as possible. If you're new to fitness, I can help you to modify the exercises so that you can perform the program safely and effectively. 

*Shakeology ensures that everyone gets the daily requirement of pure nutrition. It IS NOT a weight loss shake! Drinking Shakeology alone, without eating a clean balanced diet and exercising each day, is pretty much a waste of your money. But incorporating it with the fitness and nutritional plan I mentioned above can support your weight loss journey. It's a superfood boost to help you fuel your body during the challenge when you need it most. Similar to a protein shake, Shakeology does contain whey protein, but it also contains vitamins, minerals, pre and pro biotics, anti-oxidant superfoods and a highly dense amount of nutrients. It's fuel for your body and you will notice a difference in your health and mood after using it for just  a few weeks. You will have more energy, eliminate cravings for things like carbs and sugar, your skin, nails and hair will be healthy and strong and it will help you to maintain a healthy weight. Give it a try. There's a money back guarantee so you can't go wrong!

Take a look at some of my favorite Shakeology recipes

Follow Brenda Ajay's board Shakeology on Pinterest.

October Challenge Groups are Here!

10/12 - 90 Days to A New You!

90 Day Online fitness & nutrition support group starting Monday October 12

• Choose a fitness program that you enjoy!
• Workout in your own home & at your own pace. Just 30 minutes a day!
• Learn about clean eating
• Receive 12 weeks of meal planning, recipes & shopping lists
• Limited enrollment
• 24/7 support

Apply Here

10/17 - Fit for Fall

30 Day Online fitness & nutrition support group starting Monday October 17

• Choose a fitness program that you enjoy!
• Workout in your own home & at your own pace. Just 30 minutes a day!
• Learn about clean eating
• Receive 4 weeks of meal planning, recipes & shopping lists
• Limited enrollment
• 24/7 support

Apply Here

Email me for more information:
brendalajay@gmail.com

or fill out this form to apply to a challenge group

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Brenda